Graduation Advice from a Northwestern MEM Alum

Rachael Hogan (MEM '15) always knew she wanted to be the bridge between the business and technical sides of a company.

As she considered pursuing a master's degree, she figured an engineering management degree would better prepare her to be that bridge than an MBA. She minored in engineering management at Tufts, so she had a background in the topic. Then she went to an information session for Northwestern's Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program, and she knew the program was right for her.

As the latest class of MEM students prepare to graduate, Hogan took time to look back on her experience and offer advice to the soon-to-be grads.

What was it about the MEM program at Northwestern that first appealed to you?

I always knew I wanted to be the bridge between the business and technical sides of a company. I did an engineering management minor in college, so I had an idea that pursuing those subjects further for my master's degree might be more in line with my interests than an MBA. After attending a MEM info session, I confirmed that to be true!

How would you describe your MEM experience?

I had a wonderful experience in the MEM program. The courses were challenging and thought-provoking, and being able to apply what I was learning and discussing to work the very next day was invaluable.

What were two of your favorite highlights from your time in MEM?

1. Winning the “Cream Puff” award in Negotiations, which basically meant I was the easiest to negotiate with. I learned a ton about myself and how to handle negotiations in that class!
2. Just being in the classroom — I loved the dynamic conversations class discussions would bring.

How do you describe the day-to-day responsibilities of your current role as Senior Product Consultant at DocuSign?

As a product consultant at DocuSign, I work with clients from kickoff through Go-Live to understand their ideal contract lifecycle management processes. From there, I help them implement those processes using our software to build robust, intuitive, and efficient workflows that can be utilized across their business.

How did your MEM experience and connections help get you where you are today?

I owe being able to make the leap from the civil engineering world to the software world to the MEM program. I had technical skills from my undergraduate civil engineering degree, but the MEM program helped me round out my analytics, systems, and leadership skills to now have a strong path forward in my career.

you recently recruited a few MEM students for internships. What do you think helps differentiate MEM students from other candidates vying for internships?

I am always happy to hear from current MEM students because I know that they are motivated, talented, and eager to learn. Being a student brings a fresh perspective to the workplace, so I think a MEM student who has both the prior work experience and the current classroom perspective is as strong a candidate as you can get.

In what other ways, if any, do you remain connected with the MEM community?

I love reading the regular newsletters and keeping up with MEM happenings on LinkedIn and Facebook. I haven’t been able to make a Second Fridays in a while, but I’d like to try to get to one this summer!

What advice would you give to the soon-to-be graduating MEM class?

Be sure to remember what a unique degree MEM is — a special combination of technical and soft skills that can really set you apart throughout your career. And also, don’t forget to keep learning once the classes are done!