Class of 2019 のShoです。
今回は、取り上げるのはTauberのManaging DirectorであるDianaです。
Tauberで日本人はかなりレアで、私が知る限り、日本人でTauberの卒業生は一人しかいません。そして、その一人は工学部なので、MBAからの日本人は僕が初めてかもしれません。なので、少しでもTauberに興味を持ってくれる人が現れる事を祈って、今回Dianaにインタビューをしました。
今回のインタビューの進め方は、前回とはやや異なります。
インタビューのアポを取った後に、彼女からの要望で質問リストを事前に送ったところ、インタビュー当日に回答を書面で準備してくれていました。なので、今回は書面を見ながらフォローアップ質問をし、もらった回答に追記するという形で作成しています。
では、本題に入りましょう。
1.Profile of the interviewee
Name : Diana Crossley
Title : Managing Director,
Tauber Institute for Global Operations at University of Michigan
Details : https://tauber.umich.edu/Staff
2.Main questions I asked
-Why did you decide to join Tauber?
-Can you share a memorable moment when you felt that you were glad you joined Tauber?
-What are your future plans for the Tauber program? How are you planning to change?
-What do you look in for MBA/Tauber applicants?
-What are the things you want to emphasize about Tauber?
3.Q&A
-Why did you decide to join Tauber?
The premise of the Institute reflected not only my educational background (BS-Business Systems, MS-IOE) but also my prior work experience. I worked for Diageo and was always in a position where I was communicating with/between marketing/finance people and employees in plant operations, so Tauber was my “sweet spot”.
-Can you share a memorable moment when you felt that you were glad you joined Tauber?
The most memorable moment was when Tauber won the 2012 inaugural UPS George D. Smith Prize at the spring INFORMS Conference.
INFORMS stands for The Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences and they give out awards such as the Edelman Prize which is like the pinnacle of operations and data analytics. This award is on the industry side and what we got is on the academic side. I worked very hard with our Engineering Co-Director, Larry Seiford, on our award submission and on our presentation. Being called up on stage to receive the award was a thrilling experience and I felt extremely proud to be part of the program.
What are your future plans for the Tauber program? How are you planning to change?
We are considering converting some of our “live” LeadershipAdvantage modules into an online format so students can learn leadership and teamwork skills on their own time (whether it’s 11 pm or 6 am). We are also contemplating adding another School into our multidisciplinary program – most likely the School of Information since Data Analytics is such a sought-after skill by industry and our students. We are also exploring (with Ross and the College of Engineering) some new dual degree combinations which would be a great fit for Tauber (e.g., BS Business + MS-IOE or BS-IOE + MSCM).
What do you look for in MBA/Tauber applicants?
We look at the overall picture of a candidate (undergraduate performance, test scores, essays, recommendations, interview) when considering applicants to the program. Applicants also need to have a compelling reason for joining Tauber and be able to articulate how the program will contribute to their future goals.
What are the things you want to emphasize about Tauber?
First, the Team Project – it’s unlike any graduate Business or Engineering experience I know of at U-M. We arm students with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities to have an incredible impact on a company in 14-weeks. It’s like a consulting experience only better, because no one is telling your student team what to do, how to do it, when to do it, etc. – your team makes all those decisions. Plus, we put a support network in place to assist and challenge the team (faculty co-advisors, team dynamics coaches, communication coaches), allowing students to push their boundaries, but in a “safe” environment (meaning that the sponsors and faculty want the team to be successful). Finally, the amount of money that teams can save their sponsors is usually in the millions of dollars. What a great experience to put on your resume and to convey to prospective employers – especially since your team made all the decisions on how to accomplish the challenge from A-Z; other non-Tauber internships are usually made up of piecemeal work that doesn’t have a huge impact on a company.
Also, the content of the LeadershipAdvantage program is directly influenced by our Industry Advisory Board members – they tell us what knowledge and skills they are seeking from their new hires – and that’s great first-hand information to have from Fortune 50 and Fortune 100 companies!
