Well, seeing as this is my first post to this blog, I'll give some background information on myself - what I'm doing here at MIT, why I decided to come, and what I did before. If you are interested in applying to LGO, I would encourage you to check out the other student blogs (see link in the side bar) to get a good feel of what the LGO experience might be like for you. As well, feel free to leave comments and ask questions about the experience or application process.
What I'm Doing
Pretty straightforward - working on an MBA from MIT Sloan and an SM (MIT refers to master's degrees as "SM" rather than "MS") in Engineering Systems from the MIT School of Engineering. I'm in my second semester - unlike most straight MBA programs LGO starts the beginning of June so that we can complete both degrees and an internship in 24 months. As a result, I am now officially acclimatized to being a student again. Our LGO summer core was definitely a challenge, but it was an awesome experience that quickly brought our class of 48 together. We all had the same schedule with courses in probability and statistics, systems optimization, operations management, high-velocity systems, and leadership. Now we are in the heart of the MBA core at Sloan - we just finished midterms (sigh of relief) - and I am taking an extra business course in System Dynamics (an awesome course that I'll post about later) an engineering course in Logistics Systems, and a couple of seminars in leadership and global operations.
For those of you who have no idea what "Engineering Systems" is (which I didn't before I applied), it's basically a mixture between mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, and supply chain planning - at least the track that I am following. There are a number of tracks that LGOs can follow for this degree, you can check out this link for more information.
Why I Decided to Come
For me, it came down to the objectives of the program and the people that are here (both students and faculty). The name says it all "Leaders for Global Operations". I really have a passion for operations and manufacturing, and the systems required to make our society possible - both big and small. For example, have you ever thought about the system that's set up to make Q-tips? Think about it - you can buy 800 of them for like $3, can you imagine how fast they have to make those to turn a profit? I really don't have any ambitions to change the world through Q-tips, but still, it's mind-boggling!
I really like that the program is designed to help students learn and become leaders that can help organizations become successful through efficient, value-added operations. As well, the people here are awesome and it's a community that I'm glad I have become a part of.
What I Did Before
Before LGO I worked for Caterpillar as a manufacturing engineer and as a scheduling analyst. It was a good experience working in a large organization with large, complex manufacturing systems. Before then I did my undergraduate degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Brigham Young University.
I liked your post - I found it informative and concise. I would like to know more about your background as a scheduling analyst and how that has led you to the LGO program. I have a similar position and my impression is that it is a good background for the concepts at the core of the LGO program, but maybe you could clarify if that is accurate. Anyway, thanks again for your post.
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