Looking for the Perfect Fit

Samantha Mueller played midfield on Northwestern’s 2021 women’s lacrosse team that went undefeated in the regular season and reached the national semifinals. She started all 16 games and was third on the team with 38 goals, accomplishments good enough to earn her second-team All-Big Ten honors.  

Mueller studied and played lacrosse for four years at the University of Virginia, and with one more year of athletic eligibility, an undergraduate degree in finance, and an interest in real estate, she thought Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Project Management (MPM) program would be the perfect fit for her. Not only could she suit up for one of the best lacrosse teams in the country, but MPM would help meld her interests with studies in the evolving fields of construction and engineering.  

Mueller, who completed the program in nine months while also playing lacrosse, said she sees a lot of similarities between the information she learned in the classroom and what she does on the field. The biggest is that both management and lacrosse are fast-paced, meaning they each require a sharp attention to detail.

“Great lacrosse players are often great leaders and this is a character trait I can use in project management,” Mueller said. “A project manager is pretty similar to a captain of a sports team. The captain is responsible for communicating with coaches and teammates and needs to inspire the team to put forth their best effort every single day. They must lead both vocally and through their actions and are largely responsible for the success of the team.”

Being a strong communicator is already an asset for Mueller. Along with the technical information she learned in her classes, a major benefit of her experience in the MPM program was the focus on personal development. In an industry like real estate, relationships can make a huge impact. Learning how to create, maintain, and strengthen those professional bonds will be very important for Mueller as she progresses in her career. Knowing how to communicate and get a message across to others can make all the difference in securing a contract or ensuring a worker’s safety.

Mueller is excited to hone these relationship skills as she starts her career as an analyst in the Washington, D.C. office of Eastdil Secured, a real estate investment bank.  

Both on the field and in the MPM program, Mueller said her one year at Northwestern will be something she will remember for years to come.  

“When I was looking at master’s programs, I really wanted one that would allow me to further explore different aspects of the field of real estate," she said. "The MPM program stood out to me as the perfect program to do just that. In addition, it was incredible playing for Northwestern this year. While we didn’t end with a national championship, this year was one I will never forget. The team was so welcoming to me from day one and it was so fun playing with such incredible teammates.”