Women at MIT Sloan

Ashvini Thammaiah, SB ’06

The best of both worlds

When I first got to MIT, I was set on double-majoring in computer science and management. After taking a couple classes, I found that MIT Sloan provided me with the business acumen, analytical skills, and technical understanding I was seeking. I graduated from Sloan with a Bachelor of Science in Management Science, concentrating in Operations Research and Information Technology. Attending the undergraduate program at MIT Sloan is a very unique experience given the School’s structure. Not only did we learn from the diverse interests and backgrounds of the undergraduate students, but we also had the opportunity to share a classroom with MBA students who brought with them years of work experience.

During my time at MIT Sloan, I was captivated by MIT’s entrepreneurial spirit. After a fellow classmate and I attended the Dynamic Women in Business Conference at Harvard Business School, we were inspired to start a similar organization, the Network of Sloan Undergraduate Women (NSUW), to bring together alumni, professors, faculty, and students to discuss topics that are pertinent to women going into management. Since then, NSUW has grown tremendously to be a support network for undergraduate women interested in management across the campus and a source of talented young women for companies.

Speaking two languages

I am now in NYC at NBC Universal, a GE company. I started as part of the Operations Management Leadership Program (OMLP), where I had a chance to move around the company and try out different areas in both operations and technology. After graduating from the program, I joined a team working on NBC Universal’s content production, management, and distribution simplification initiative.

The media business is exciting for those who want to be a part of an industry in midst of a transformation. Companies are trying to define more robust and sustainable business models, specifically those which address digital platforms. From both operational and strategic perspectives, there’s a lot of work to be done.

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