Megan Dirgins

Warwick Business School

“Fiercely independent, relentlessly curious — pairing logic and empathy with thoughtful ambition.”

Hometown: Avon, CT, USA

Fun fact about yourself: My first time leaving the country was going on a solo trip to Paris at 16 over Thanksgiving break.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Boston University, B.S. Film and Television

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Imagine Entertainment, Archival Producer

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? N/A

Where will you be working after graduation? Undecided

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: I was one of two students awarded the Forté Fellowship, a selective scholarship recognizing candidates who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and a commitment to advancing women in business. The fellowship is awarded by the Forté Foundation, a global consortium of top business schools and leading companies, and is granted based on overall strength in the admissions process rather than application.

I was also runner-up, MBA Group Strategy Challenge 2025. Judged by faculty including Professor John Colley, our team placed second out of 10 participating groups (roughly two-thirds of the cohort). The competition involved delivering an in-depth strategic analysis of a global company, in our case, Japanese factory automation leader KEYENCE, and defending our recommendations to a live faculty panel.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? The achievement I’m most proud of during my MBA was leading our LeadershipPlus consulting project with Axe Finance, a global leading digital lending solutions provider. Here, we were tasked with reassessing the fintech company’s strategic positioning across the Gulf region. When I first read the brief, I was honestly terrified and imposter syndrome hit hard. I don’t come from a finance background, while many of my teammates did. It would have been easy to free ride through the project with minimal contribution, but instead I used it as an opportunity to step forward. I had to learn quickly, ask better questions, and find ways to contribute beyond technical expertise, whether through structuring our thinking, driving alignment, or translating complexity into clear insights.

What made the experience so defining was how much it stretched me. It forced me to operate outside my comfort zone and step into a more confident leadership role, bridging diverse perspectives within the team. Our work gave the client a grounded view of the Gulf region including competitive dynamics and the viability of expanding further into the retail lending segment, which they are now using as an input into ongoing strategic discussions. Seeing our recommendations taken seriously by a global fintech was incredibly validating and marked a shift in how I saw myself: not as someone transitioning into business, but as someone capable of creating value in unfamiliar, high-stakes environments.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My proudest professional achievement was producing a feature documentary directed by Academy Award winner Ron Howard. Imagine Entertainment is famously selective and held in the highest regard in the film and television industry. From the start of my career, my goal was to get my foot in the door and land a role at the company. After five years of deliberate persistence, relationship-building, and consistently proving my value across multiple projects, I not only landed a role at Imagine, but was selected as one of six full-time team members on one of Ron’s personal passion projects.

The experience was formative to say the least. Being trusted with real responsibility while working closely with one of the most respected figures in film gave me an accelerated education in leadership, storytelling, multi-tasking, and working at the highest standards. What struck me the most was how present Ron was despite operating at an almost unimaginable pace. At one point, he was working on multiple projects that required him to split his time between the East Coast, West Coast, Australia and Europe, yet whenever you were in a room or on a call with him, he was completely locked in. He was always deeply engaged, thoughtful and generous with his attention. That level of focus and humility reshaped my expectations of what great leadership looks like and showed me what it truly means to operate at the very top of an industry. The film isn’t out yet, but being part of that story is something I’ll be proud of long after the credits roll.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Warwick because of its clear emphasis on developing ‘change makers’. The idea that leadership isn’t about waiting for opportunity, but creating it really resonated with me. Warwick’s framing of change makers as thinkers, doers, and builders aligned closely with the kind of leader I want to become. I wasn’t just looking for technical business skills, although I needed those too, and Warwick has phenomenal professors. I wanted an environment that encouraged initiative, curiosity, and action. The MBA has felt less like a classroom experience and more like a proving ground — a place where ideas were meant to be tested, stretched, and acted on. That focus on agency and impact is ultimately what made me pick Warwick, and I’m thrilled with my choice.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite MBA course was Accounting, largely because of how much it surprised me. I struggled with Financial Management in the first term to the point I was convinced I was going to fail and went into Accounting with real hesitation. But the course was built around a six-year business simulation, where we made strategic decisions as teams and then stepped into the role of accountants to interpret the outcomes through the financials. Instead of learning concepts passively, we had to diagnose performance through profit and loss statements, understand the consequences of our choices, and use that insight to guide the next “year”. It was the first time accounting felt less like numbers and more like decision-making under uncertainty.

What elevated the experience was the energy it created in the room. The simulation turned the course into an electric competition. There was no prize beyond bragging rights, but in a cohort filled with driven and competitive people, that was more than plenty. The pressure made everyone sharper, more vocal, and more invested in collective outcomes. My team ultimately finished as the most profitable and the most aligned with our cost leadership strategy (we did end up getting stripped of our winning title because we accepted a corrupt deal in the final year, but technicalities…), but what stayed with me was how the format drew out everyone’s drive. It made the learning deeply tangible, transforming a subject I resisted before even opening the book, into one of the most practical and empowering parts of my MBA.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA tradition was our welcome dinner at Coombe Abbey, a stunning 12th-century estate just outside Warwick. It was only a few days into the program — everyone dressed to impress, a little overwhelmed and overstimulated, but buzzing with excitement. I think back to one of my first conversations over a glass of champagne with someone I now consider one of my best friends. We were marveling at this beautiful historic abbey, discussing how surreal it felt to be there and this scary but exciting year that was ahead of us. Since that night, we’ve spent countless hours studying, chatting, going out to dinners, and traveling together; it’s incredible to think that one of my most meaningful friendships from the MBA began in that single moment. This all reflects how intentionally Warwick fosters community. The program team clearly puts real effort into bringing people together early and creating a sense of belonging, and that dinner set the tone by reminding us that we weren’t doing the MBA alone, but alongside a cohort we could and should lean on from day one.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back, one thing I would do differently is be more intentional about staying connected with friends and loved ones back home. The UK is only a five-hour time difference from the East Coast, and I know I could have made more effort. I’ve always valued staying close to friends around the world, but at times I let the busyness of the MBA create distance from my core support system. In hindsight, I wish I had been more committed to protecting that time and nurturing the relationships that mean so much to me.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? The most impactful case study for me was one we discussed in Strategic Thinking on Kodak and its failure to adapt to digital disruption. What made it stick wasn’t just the strategy, but the intense debate it sparked in the room. It pushed us to wrestle with how smart people and strong organizations still miss change when they become too tied to what once worked. The biggest lesson I took from it is that relevance is an active choice. Since then, I’ve tried to bring that mindset into team projects and conversations, pushing us to challenge comfortable thinking and act sooner rather than later. For me, the case wasn’t just about disruption — it was a reminder that leadership often starts by raising the level of the questions in the room.

What business leader do you admire most? Nana. Feared by some, loved by all, and still working at 85. My grandmother built a company from the ground up without any formal business education, starting later in life after a career as an elementary school teacher. In her late 40s, she entered the firearms accessories industry, a heavily male-dominated space, and taught herself everything from product development to manufacturing, distribution, and sales. Through relentless work and tenacity, she grew the business into an international success, with products sold worldwide and on the shelves of major U.S. retailers like Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Cabela’s.

What inspires me most is not just the scale of what she built, but how she built it. She figured things out as she went, led with grit and independence, and balanced entrepreneurship with a rich, meaningful life beyond work. Her business took her to trade shows and manufacturers around the world, pulling her far beyond her New Haven, Connecticut bubble and expanding her appetite for adventure and cultural exploration. I’ll always remember her taking my kindergarten “Flat Stanley” on trip to a manufacturer in China, where she sent back a picture of him at the Great Wall. I was so proud to show off where my Flat Stanley had been because of her and her business.

Entrepreneurship didn’t just amplify her fearless drive, it made her more globally minded and deeply curious, emphasizing the importance of perspective and pushing beyond comfort, qualities that shaped not only how she lived but how she led. Her story reshaped my definition of leadership, proving that credibility doesn’t always come from credentials, but from courage, resilience, and the willingness to take risks and sometimes just starting before you feel ready.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? The first way AI was integrated into the MBA was through an early assignment for Organisational Behaviour, where we were explicitly required to use it. We were encouraged to experiment with it creatively, using AI to brainstorm angles, structure ideas, and pressure-test arguments rather than simply generating answers. It was my first exposure to using AI in an academic setting. At first, it truly felt like cheating. I hated it. Over time, though, engaging with it in a structured way reframed how I saw its role.

My takeaway was that AI is most powerful when paired with judgement. It can accelerate synthesis and challenge your thinking, but it doesn’t replace context, taste, accountability, or some good, old-fashioned critical thinking. It ultimately shifted my mindset from skepticism to intentionality and proved to be a beautiful reminder that the real advantage isn’t using AI more but using it more thoughtfully.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Only one name came to mind for this question and that is my friend Abdullah Mussaddaq from Pakistan. He is the youngest in our program, yet also one of the most composed and quietly confident people I know. He is always prepared. Every case read, topic researched, and angle considered, he follows with thoughtful, incisive questions that elevate the discussion for everyone. I’ve worked closely with him across group projects throughout the year, and his consistency, endless curiosity, discipline, intellect, and humility make him someone people naturally trust and rely on.

What inspires me most is his quiet leadership. He never seeks the spotlight, but people gravitate toward him because of his integrity and clarity of thought. Over the course of the MBA, I’ve also watched him steadily push himself outside of his introverted comfort zone to become one of the most beloved and hysterical people on the course and this confidence is evident inside and outside the classroom. I also have to personally thank him for helping me pass our Finance class. He selflessly tutored me for three very, very long days before the exam.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Since I was a child my mom used to tell people I was going to run a company. It didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t just want to run the company; I wanted to own the company. I’ve been drawn to entrepreneurship for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been motivated by the idea of taking a real bet on myself by building something from scratch, something that shapes culture, and something that I am fully accountable for the outcome. The opportunity to create something meaningful on my own terms has always felt both exhilarating and inevitable.

The second item is to work abroad. My career to date has been anchored in New York, but I’ve always been driven by curiosity about the world and the opportunity to learn through new cultures and perspectives. Travel consumes my free time, and that global pull was a big reason I chose to pursue an MBA overseas. I’d love to spend a chapter of my career working internationally, whether in London, Dubai, Singapore, or beyond. Gaining that global experience feels like an essential part of both my personal and professional growth.

What made Megan such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“Alongside her professional story in the film world, Megan has been a wonderful student to have on the programme. She brings a quiet confidence and consistently conducts herself with maturity and professionalism. Her thoughtful contributions and unique viewpoint have genuinely enhanced the learning experience for the whole cohort.

“Megan does not have your average MBA background and that is what makes her so great, she really enriches the cohort with her very different experience. As a self-confessed film and documentary obsessive thanks to an internship with Kindle that ignited her passion for filmmaking, she was working closely with movie legend Ron Howard on a film charting the life of late fashion photographer Richard Avedon before doing the MBA. She has worked on several high‑profile Netflix documentaries, including projects focusing on K‑Pop and exploring the real‑life stories of 1980s and 1990s supermodels such as Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss. Her work involves sourcing rare footage and photographs, which requires vast amounts of perseverance and ingenuity, something Megan has plenty of.”

Sarah Jackson
Alumni and MBA Careers Manager

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