Alex Holder

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

“Product designer and connector translating human needs, business strategy, and technology into meaningful experiences.”

Age: 38

Hometown: Mobile, AL

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve traveled to all 50 states at least twice and over 50 countries and UN territories.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Spring Hill College – B.S. Marketing

Carnegie Mellon University – Master of Human-Computer Interaction

Where are you currently working? Dick’s Sporting Goods, Senior Product Designer

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I’m most proud of successfully pivoting from live events into the technology industry. It required me to build an entirely new skill set, learn new ways of working, and become comfortable starting over in a field where I had a lot to prove. That transition changed the trajectory of my career and showed me that curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to be uncomfortable can open doors I once did not know were available to me.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? During my first graduate program at Carnegie Mellon, I attended a Tepper School class and later participated in a case competition alongside MBA students. I was struck by the quality of the discussion, the analytical rigor, and the way Tepper School students approached complex business problems. That experience stayed with me and ultimately inspired me to pursue an MBA so I could expand my leadership potential, strengthen my business acumen, and build on the foundation I had developed through design and technology.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? My favorite part was being able to learn something in class at night and apply it at work the next day. The format made the MBA feel immediately relevant. Instead of studying business concepts in isolation, I was constantly testing them against real projects, real stakeholders, and real organizational challenges.

How did your online MBA experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? I found the online MBA experience to be highly engaging and, in many ways, more directly applicable than my undergraduate experience. Tepper School professors created an environment where discussion felt active and thoughtful, even in a virtual setting. Because my classmates were working professionals, the conversations were grounded in real experience, which made the learning feel practical and energizing.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Take your network seriously. It can be easy to think of an online program as something you complete independently, but some of the most valuable learning happens through classmates. I learned as much from my peers’ experiences, questions, and perspectives as I did from any individual course.

How has your online MBA education helped you in your current job? The MBA has made me more comfortable with ambiguity and more confident communicating across disciplines. As a product designer, I often work at the intersection of customer needs, business goals, technology constraints, and organizational priorities. The Tepper School strengthened my ability to think analytically, frame problems more clearly, and participate with confidence in conversations involving strategy, finance, operations, and quantitative decision-making.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Not during the program, but the MBA has positioned me for continued growth. It has expanded the way I think about leadership, strategy, and organizational impact, and I’m optimistic about the opportunities ahead. I’ll also share that I was on the job hunt in the beginning of my program. My new classmates helped me get referrals, which led to valuable interview experiences.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? I had just completed a full-time master’s degree, so stepping away from work again for another two years did not feel like the right choice. I wanted to continue building my career while expanding my business and leadership skills. The Tepper School’s Online Hybrid MBA gave me the balance I needed: the rigor of a Carnegie Mellon education with the flexibility to keep growing professionally at the same time.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? As VP of Education for the Tepper School’s Business & Technology Club, I hosted panels and office hours focused on helping classmates better understand and use AI. That experience reinforced that AI adoption is not just about tools. It is also about education, trust, experimentation, and helping people see how the technology can fit into their own work. Those lessons have carried into my professional life, where I have led cohort trainings, explored AI’s role in product design, and integrated AI into my day-to-day workflow.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: On average around 7-10 depending on my course load

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term goal is to become the kind of leader who helps people reach their potential, builds trust across teams, and is willing to keep learning across new domains. I hope to continue growing into broader leadership roles and, ultimately, reach the C-suite by focusing on impact, relationships, and the ability to lead through complexity.

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