Fayha Abdul Kareem

Graduated May 2021

Current: Target, Senior Prof Procurement Services - Chatbot Design

"My role is primarily focused on developing, maintaining and enhancing chatbots to automate business solutions in order to drive continuous process improvement and create efficiencies for the Procurement organization at Target. My day-to-day responsibilities include identifying pain points and business needs for Target store team members, working in cross-functional teams with Engineers and Product Managers to develop product road maps and rolling out new chatbot functionalities.

I miss being on Purdue's campus and experiencing the vibrant college atmosphere with so much happening all the time. The biggest unique selling point of the MEM program for me has been the flexibility of the curriculum and the opportunity for experiential learning. I've been able to leverage this flexibility to customize the degree program to choose technical and management subjects that meet my interests from different departments, which is a luxury that most traditional degree programs do not offer. The experiential courses and co-op opportunities helped build my profile with projects and real-world experience, making me ready for the workforce.

During the degree program, I interned within the automotive Industry (Faurecia, Tesla) in Direct & Indirect Procurement functions. With that domain experience, I was able to land a full-time role with the New York Times in a procurement Spend Analytics role and then moved to Target for a Chatbot Design & Product Management role. While at the Purdue MEM program, I took courses on Business Analytics, Industrial Engineering and also participated in an experiential learning program where I worked as a management consultant for an underdeveloped town. These varied experiences have helped me develop a diverse skill set and have allowed me to explore different career paths within a short time.

I encourage Purdue MEM students to network with Purdue alumni through LinkedIn and other resources. There are many Boilermakers at top companies willing to guide you and answer any questions you have. Leverage the Purdue brand and network to reach out to people."

Archana Das Stockwell

Graduated May 2021

Current: Zoox, Technical Program Manager

Previous: Collins Aerospace, Product Owner and Technical Program Manager

"As a product owner, I am responsible for planning the work for our entire team by collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders every quarter, and determining a plan for milestones. As a Technical Program Manager, I manage the schedule and budget, and report to the program and senior leadership about any roadblocks. On a day-to-day basis, I status the engineers and maintain the workflow through daily status, weekly cadence, and monthly technical program reviews. I accomplish these responsibilities while ensuring seamless communication between teams.

Last month, we were able to meet a $3M billing milestone that seemed unfathomable for our program. My leadership was appreciated, and awarded, since the milestone was extremely important for our company to meet.

My Purdue MEM program experience enables me to be flexible in exploring interests in the realm of system engineering while dipping my toes into the field of management. This is the reason why I perform not only as a software engineer, but also as a product owner and technical program manager! Additionally, the Purdue MEM networking has been incredible. It has opened the doors to a number of irreplaceable friendships that have turned to job offers as well! The Engineering Management degree has tremendous value in the industry, and counts greatly as program management experience that cannot be ignored.

I encourage future Purdue MEM students to explore, network, and be spontaneous! The Purdue MEM program provides you with tremendous opportunities to explore your potential. It allows you to network across a wide range of industries and domains while connecting you with top companies in the world. Eric and Karen have been instrumental as a guiding force for every student in this degree, as they carve time out of their busy schedules to ensure we have the right tools and path to be successful. Grab every opportunity that comes your way and use those wings to fly your career in the right path!

Being a Boilermaker is not only a tagline, but a feeling. Purdue instills a deep feeling of gratitude, pride and humility in every individual, and it did the same for me! Boiler Up!"