Annie Winkler, Carnegie Mellon Tepper MSBA Class of 2027
Age: 25
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Saint Joseph’s University – BA in Cell & Molecular Biology
Pre-MSBA Work Experience: Higher Education – 1 year; PNC Financial Services – 1 year
Program: PT MSBA
Expected Graduation Year: 2027
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I made the decision to attend business school because I wanted to broaden my horizons academically after pivoting into the corporate environment. My STEM background was foundational in my way of thinking through problems, and I found a true passion where this analytical thinking meets the business world. I thought this was an opportune time to attend business school, as I gained a few years of working experience and had a better idea of what direction I wanted to take my career in. It was also important to me to pursue a master’s program while I was in a junior part of my career, as I wanted to be able to apply the technical skills and topics from my curriculum to my every day work.
Why did you choose Carnegie Mellon Tepper? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I chose Carnegie Mellon and specifically the Tepper School’s Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program because I was drawn to the combination of technical and business courses in the curriculum. This specific program felt like the perfect opportunity to gain hard skills such as coding, machine learning principles, and analytic methods, while also understanding direct business impacts and applications of these tools. The flexibility of this part-time program was a large factor in my decision as well, and I appreciate that the curriculum is built in mind for working professional professionals.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the class?
One of my contributions to this class is my comfort and ability to communicate with others. My first role out of my undergraduate program was as a consultant, where I traveled to a new city every week to work with and build relationships with new people. I had short amounts of time to gain trust with others, while communicating ideas and recommendations to these groups. This gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to create community, share my opinion with others, and be ok with being incorrect. I have found this helpful as I interact with my awesome cohort of classmates. It has helped me feel comfortable to take initiative in group conversations, projects, and class discussions.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I have dual citizenship in both the United States and in Germany!
Post-MSBA career interests:
I think the most direct career interests for me (right now!) are to continue my path in the analytics space. I currently work in a people analytics capacity, supporting the retail segment of a financial services industry, and I really love and enjoy this space. I hope to continue growing in this industry of people analytics, and retail analytics / strategy.
Additionally, I would love to teach at some point in my career as an adjunct professor. I have such a deep appreciation for my professors, and I would love the opportunity to contribute to the academic environment.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
One thing I would do as a part of my application process again would be to trust my instincts. I often found myself second-guessing or trying to think of another way (or the ‘best’ way) to present my application questions or short answer responses, but I found truly that the easiest answers were the ones that came naturally and felt like me. The Tepper School is interested in learning about you and your interests!
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
One thing that I would change or do differently would be to reach out to more admitted student students and take advantage of the ambassador program that CMU offers. As an ambassador myself, I’ve had such a wonderful experience interacting with prospective students. It is a great tool to learn more about real student experiences in the program.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
One thing I might have skipped if I could, would be the video response portion of the application, simply because there is a stress around recording a video and having one or two attempts before having to submit. However, I think staying true to yourself and answering honestly is what helped me get through this aspect. There is no ‘perfect’ answer to an application question, and it is a helpful exercise in itself to look inward at your interests, goals, and potential contributions to the Tepper School.
How has the program’s flexibility enabled you to pursue your personal and professional goals without compromising your work-life balance?
I am truly appreciative of the flexibility that this program offers. Not to say that it is not strenuous, and that it does not take up a good deal of my time, but with the right time management and organizational skills is manageable. I am thankful to have such a supportive leadership at work that are excited about my pursuit of this program, and I feel like I’m directly applying the course material to my everyday work, which is beneficial to my professional goals. In terms of personal goals and life items in general, I think it all comes down to balance. I have had the ability to maintain my social life with friends and family, travel, and continue to do the things that I love while pursuing this program.
How do you manage to balance the demands of the program with your professional responsibilities, and what strategies have worked best for you?
I think managing the balance between program responsibilities and professional responsibilities comes down to time management and organization. I live by my to-do lists, and I often have two or three running to keep track of the things in my head. Having accountability with my friends that are in similar programs are also helpful. I also think taking advantage of the slower weeks and breaks between classwork to decompress and relax are so important to maintain balance.
How has the online format of the program allowed you to immediately apply what you’re learning to your current role and advance your career?
The online format of the program has allowed me to apply what I’m learning to my current role. With most concepts or courses, I am able to think about how we could implement a certain tool in my day-to-day work, or how to make processes more efficient. Certain classes also challenge you to think about business problems that exist in your own organization and use those as guiding factors to complete assignments or projects. This aspect is great, because your homework is essentially to think about your real work and it gives you the ability to apply new skills or frameworks to a particular work task.
Despite being in a remote program, how have you built meaningful connections with peers, faculty, or mentors, and how has this sense of community enriched your experience?
I have built meaningful connections with peers and faculty in this program. Study groups and assigned groups provide support as we move through this program together. The Tepper School emphasizes the importance of building relationships with our cohort as we spend the next 20 months together in the program. We also have numerous in person opportunities to connect with our cohort throughout the program, and many online or virtual opportunities to connect with the broader Tepper School community. Faculty members are nothing but kind and supportive of our academic endeavors, and I have had wonderful connections with faculty members just from attending office hours or asking questions during class. This sense of community has helped immensely in my duration of the program, as I never feel like I am alone, or in this journey by myself. There are always individuals to help, to guide, and to cheer me on.
What is one thing you have learned about Carnegie Mellon Tepper that has surprised you?
One thing I have learned about Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business that has surprised me is truly that sense of community and collaboration. The Tepper School emphasizes the importance of collaborating with classmates, and we have several group projects throughout the master’s program to build on this. I have felt excitement from my peers and excitement to work towards shared goals together, which creates a meaningful experience as a student. Overall, it is a wonderful school environment, and I am glad to call myself a Tartan!
