Student Spotlight: Xiaohu Lei
Xiaohu Lei is a current full-time MEM student originally from Shanghai, China, and earned his degree in Structure Engineering from Tongji University in China. Before he started in the MEM program, Xiaohu worked as a structural engineer at Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd. (TJAD) for four and a half years, having participated in numerous landmark projects, such as Shanghai Tower and Shanghai Disneyland. Xiaohu loves to play tennis, roller skating and video games. Also, he enjoys all kinds of spicy Chinese cuisine and especially hot pot. We have asked Xiaohu to share what his MEM experience has meant to him:
What is Your Favorite Class or Professor, Why:
All the following courses have something in common: enabling me to learn a better mindset at a higher level.
MEM424: Leadership and Organization Behavior. Professor: Gail Berger
This class not only helped me realize the potential risk factors in an organization, but also helped me understand myself and people better. In addition, systematic skill sets and frameworks helped with developing a vision for the future.
MEM437: Strategic Management. Professor: Donald McNeeley
Trained me to always take a step back and look at the big picture. Also, business case studies, useful frameworks, and mindsets are essential parts of this capstone class, which each gave me a sense on how to make strategic decisions based on comprehensive information.
MEM410: Managerial Analytics. Professor: Pan Chen
This course introduced different kinds of analytical methods at a higher level. It also emphasizes the need to utilize different analytical approaches and interpret the analysis to become an outstanding manager. It opened a door to today’s most popular fields for me.
MEM412: Operations Excellence. Professor: Michael Watson
This course gave me a deeper understanding of operations, which are indispensable and are valued more and more by companies on a strategic level. A lot of essential concepts were covered, such as how variability impacts the whole product line, how to identify the most limiting factor in a system, and why local optimal at all the individual parts may not always lead to the global optimal. This course taught me to observe things systemically.
What is the Best Part about MEM:
I don’t know where to begin. This program is great! It is so flexible and highly customized. I not only find the cutting-edge technology-related courses that I want to learn from university, but also develop a systematic managerial mindset.
How Do You Think your Experience Will Contribute to this Program?
- Solid academic background at a top university and rich work experience in a top company guaranteed the student quality and made more people in my industry realized the importance of this program.
- The international background could expand the influence of this program in my home country.
- Increase the diversity of this program.
How Do You Think MEM Will Contribute To Your Career?
Mindset, which could be a lifetime benefit for me.
In today’s technology-driven business world, pure business knowledge is not enough. Likewise, pure academic knowledge could not put the research achievements into the markets on time. I learned a totally different perspective to observe this technology-driven business world. Hopefully, I can figure out the balance between technology and business, and combine these two factors organically for my own career in the near future.
Word of Advice to Future Students:
Stay foolish, stay hungry.
How much you can learn from this program really depends on how much you desire to learn. The better you prepared yourself, the more you learn. There is almost no upper bound.
Try your best to get the most takeaways by utilizing all the resources provided by the program.
