Connections That Count

Mayuri Bochare (MEM '26) listened as conversations about community building, leadership, and networking flowed freely around her. Sitting at a table in the Harper College Wojcik Conference Center in Palatine, Illinois—nearly 30 miles west of Northwestern's Evanston campus—Mayuri was exactly where she wanted to be.   

Mayuri, a student in Northwestern's Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program and co-president of the Northwestern University Product Management Club (NUPMC), was a volunteer at the Project Management Institute (PMI) Chicagoland Career Development Conference. 

“I was sitting at a table with professionals who are leaders in big organizations, and they were casually discussing leadership frameworks, how they approach decision-making, and some of the most interesting projects they’re currently working on,” she said. “It felt like sitting in a real executive discussion, and it gave me insights into how leaders think and communicate in real-world settings.”  

Mayuri learned of the volunteer opportunity Khagendra Deore (MEM '25), who played a major role in linking Northwestern’s Project Management club with the PMI Chicagoland chapter. The two signed up to assist along with Dheeptha Rai Meenacshi (MEM '26). Beyond helping, what they experienced was what Mayuri called next-level networking.  

“What made it especially valuable was the energy in the room and the quality of conversations happening throughout the day,” she said. “It wasn’t just a conference; it felt like a strong professional community in action.” 

That action left some lasting impressions on Mayuri, who joined the MEM program in September to build a bridge between her technical skills and her desire for leadership roles.  

She said she earned valuable takeaways from each of the conference’s presenters, including keynote speaker Scott Tillema, a retired SWAT hostage negotiator. Tillema’s talk focused on negotiation skills for project leaders, including the concept of “What does the T-shirt say?”  

“He explained that everyone walks into a conversation wearing an invisible T-shirt—tired, stressed, defensive, overwhelmed.” Mayuri said. “If someone seems difficult, it may just be their T-shirt showing. The key is to understand what that T-shirt says and negotiate from empathy and clarity.”  

Learning negotiation skills was one of three goals Mayuri set for herself heading into the conference. The others were to build strong connections through genuine conversations and to represent MEM well as a student leader.  

Beyond the lessons gleaned from Tillema’s talk, Mayuri said she picked up valuable notes on:  

• “Done” beating “perfect.”
• UsingAI tools strategically in searches for jobs and internships. 
• Communicating in a way senior leaders care about.
• Preparing for a job interview to show up confident, memorable, and structured.  
• The strength of PMI’s global community and how it can create long-term career value through networking, mentorship, and professional growth.  

Mayuri said the experience reinforced a lesson being emphasized within the MEM program.  

“Networking and professional exposure are not optional; they are essential,” she said. “Events like this allow MEM students to expand beyond our existing campus and job-search bubbles, meet professionals we would never typically encounter in regular recruiting cycles, and learn what industry leaders actually value.”  

It also empowers students to gain confidence in communicating professionally and strengthens the MEM brand because it demonstrates how MEM students are active, engaged, and leadership-driven, she said.  

“MEM is preparing me in a very practical way,” she said. “The learning isn’t textbook-driven; it’s discussion-driven, application-driven, and designed around real leadership challenges.”