Making My Career Pivot Thanks to Northwestern's MSIT Program
Michael Mokodanski shares how his time in the Northwestern Engineering Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) part-time program option helped him land his current finance transformation consulting role at Deloitte.
When Michael Mokodanski began Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) part-time program option, he was an IT analyst at a local community college. He knew he wanted more from his career, though. Specifically, he was looking to grow his business knowledge while remaining focused on technology
The MSIT program gave him that, and more.
Today, Mokodanski (MSIT '17) is a consultant at Deloitte, where he is responsible for both functional and technical development of finance transformation projects for various Fortune 500 companies.
"I really enjoyed my time in the MSIT program over the course of the two years," Mokodanski said. "I learned a ton, worked with some really smart and fun people, and used it to completely pivot on my career track."
Coming from a pure engineering background, Mokodanski had never taken an accounting or finance course until the MSIT program. It was those courses, though, that gave him insight into the business world that he craved.
While the academics were pivotal in his growth, so too was the support he found from his classmates.
"(The student body is) a very diverse mix of both experience and industry blended together for two years," Mokodanski said. "As one of the younger students with much less experience than the rest of the cohort, I was given an overwhelming amount of support from my fellow classmates."
One of those classmates was Jonathan Diehl (MSIT '18). Diehl was one of Mokodanski's first study group mates, and the two have stayed connected. How connected? When Mokodanski got married in Capetown, South Africa earlier this year, Diehl flew down to help celebrate.
Mokodanski believes he would not be doing what he is today without his MSIT experience. That is why when he is asked what advice he gives to prospective MSIT students, his answer is simple: Take advantage of the doors MSIT can open for you.
"The MSIT program can completely open up a host of opportunities to someone looking to accelerate in their current role or switch to a new one altogether," Mokodanski said.
