Students Experience the Future of Tech at Bay Area MBA Trek

University of Washington students explored career paths while also experiencing first-hand how companies of various sizes and stages can make a global impact during a Foster School of Business MBA Trek to the San Francisco Bay Area.

From startup Zipline and small-but-mighty Mattson to tech behemoths NVIDIA and Adobe along with Deloitte, students had the opportunity to see the diverse ways they could apply their MBA in the business world.

“Before the trek, I felt like my eyes were only set to working at Big Tech or a mature startup because I valued the innovation, creativity and speed at which people work in this industry,” said Jesse Venegas, a student in Foster’s Hybrid MBA program. “This trek showed me that there are so many career paths and avenues that aren’t Big Tech where I can still find those values, and it’s actually given me creative ideas of where I can take my career post-MBA.”

Venegas was among more than 40 students from Foster’s Executive MBA, Hybrid MBA, Global Executive MBA, and Technology Management MBA programs participating in the trek from October 17 to 18, 2024. Organized by the Foster Career Management team that supports these four MBA programs, the trek aims to complement students’ curriculum through engagement with senior leadership in a diverse set of industries.

Connecting with Foster alumni near and far

“A Foster MBA Trek is a standout experience that immerses students in dynamic work environments and reveals fascinating industries and career paths,” said Career Management Director Susie Buysse, whose team coordinates these valuable treks nearly every quarter. Previous treks have explored destinations as far as the Bay Area and Austin, Texas, or as close as Portland, Oregon, and throughout the Seattle area.

“Our treks give students the chance to expand their professional networks while experiencing the distinctive business landscapes of places like Seattle and San Francisco,” Buysse said. “Through engaging in discussions with senior leaders, students gain insights into business operations, strategy, innovation and culture.”

Foster MBA alumni often play an important role in coordinating visits at their own company, such as this trek’s visit to NVIDIA with help from Matthew Hull, Vice President of Global AI Platform Solutions and a 2010 graduate of Foster’s Technology Management MBA, along with Foster alumna Georgene Dee, Senior Product Marketing Manager.

“What truly elevated this experience was connecting with Foster alums and industry leaders who shared their journeys with incredible openness,” said Global Executive MBA student Luis Sánchez on LinkedIn. “Every interaction showed us how we can shape tomorrow’s business landscape while staying true to our values.”

“We’re using AI for everything”

During a presentation and lengthy Q-and-A at NVIDIA, Hull gave students a sneak peek at the company’s next-generation graphics processing unit (GPU) and discussed its efforts to help drive innovation. “Every industry out there – every type of company – is investing in artificial intelligence,” Hull said. “We’re building the foundational platform to let people do this work.

“We’re not just a chip company, we bring the full solution to them.”

As a leader in the forefront of AI, Hull also candidly discussed some of NVIDIA’s groundbreaking research, as well as its continuous efforts to stay ahead of the fast-moving AI industry.

“We’re using AI for everything,” he said, explaining the company’s state-of-the-art parking lot that helps drivers find an open spot, robots that handle its manufacturing, chatbots at the customer helpdesk and more. “It’s not just cool, it’s extremely efficient.”

Students marveled at the meticulously curated living walls and modern workspaces throughout the massive structure, and soaked up every detail about NVIDIA’s journey from a startup in GPUs to a leader in AI.

“The Bay Area Trek was a game-changer, providing unparalleled access to industry leaders and innovators, and forever shifting my perspective of what’s possible in my career,” said Gloria Bosson, a student in Foster’s Technology Management MBA program.

Behind the scenes of a global startup

In contrast to the sprawling, state-of-the-art NVIDIA campus in San Jose, students also had the opportunity to witness innovation in action at the startup Zipline. Coordinated by Foster Hybrid MBA alumna Meg Quintero, Lead Product Manager at Zipline, the tour took students behind the scenes of the company’s visionary engineering and manufacturing facility.

“The hosting companies’ executives did a fantastic job showcasing their companies and highlighting career paths, starting with internships and post-MBA,” said Benoni Tagoe, a student in Foster’s Executive MBA program. “All the companies were great, but I especially enjoyed how Zipline introduced me to a new field of business and showcased other possible career options.”

The visit also featured a candid panel that shared some of the hurdles the company is facing as a leader in the emerging drone delivery space.

“It’s a balancing act of keeping our partners excited and ready to go, while also finalizing aircraft and getting it ready for the world,” said Customer Success Manager Lauren Poillion, who, with Juan Albanell, Head of System Prototype and Test, discussed how the company’s evolving model continues to support local communities around the world.

“Our goal is to do delivery in every situation we can think of, and even ones we can’t think of,” Albanell said. “It’s not a drone company, it’s a logistics company. If tomorrow we found out that the fastest way to deliver something was the carrier pigeon and it was more ethical, we would move to that.”

Small company with a big impact

The tour also offered a small-business feeling with a global approach at Mattson, a consultancy that specializes in the food and beverage industry and has successfully laid the groundwork for cutting-edge products known around the world. Ever heard of DiGiorno’s Pizza? What about Beyond Meat? Have any Kikkoman products in your pantry? Mattson, with just 65 employees, has proudly contributed to the success of many of these products in its 47-year history.

“The ability to service clients of all sizes and issues is really our secret sauce,” said Katie Hagan, Mattson Executive Vice President of Insights & Innovation. “We can help launch, grow, renovate, innovate, and we can be modest or crazy disruptive.”

Hagan generously walked students through the entire process of product development, from working with clients to gather information; to planning every step of what the client is hoping to accomplish; then finally the creation of the product with help of food scientists, chefs and other industry specialists at the company.

“I had an amazing experience participating in the Foster MBA Trek to The Bay Area,” said Sukarno Sri Harjono, a student in Foster’s Global Executive MBA. “I enjoyed learning from the various industries, starting with the food industry at Mattson, where they emphasized details and safety.”

Students had an “unending flurry of questions,” as Mattson stated in its LinkedIn post about the visit, which continues: “We loved the level of engagement in our business these students showed. It’s always a pleasure when we get to share insights on food innovation and business strategy.”

What is your business chemistry?

Throughout the Foster MBA Trek, students observed how AI is transforming every industry, including at Deloitte, whose innovative Deloitte Greenhouse provides a one-of-a-kind immersive experience.

Located on the 28^th floor of the company’s downtown San Francisco location, the opportunity offered sweeping views of the city as students explored the company’s trademarked technique to “encourage collaboration, interaction and unordinary thinking.”

“These hands-on opportunities not only deepen our understanding of real-world business strategies,” Technology Management MBA student Chris Garcia said on LinkedIn, “but also expand our networks with incredible Foster alums and industry pioneers.”

Teamwork was further explored during an analysis of students’ Business Chemistry with Deloitte Consulting LLP Senior Manager Sally Watson. Prior to the Foster MBA Trek, students were asked to take the assessment that is used to help Deloitte teams and individuals better communicate and collaborate.

The visit led by Silicon Valley Managing Partner Carina Ruiz included insights into Deloitte company culture and tips to successfully apply at the international company.

“If you’re able to effectively structure your thoughts and address how to solve a problem you can be pretty successful across our business,” Watson said. “If I can go from professional golfer to Deloitte consultant, anyone can do it.”

Foster MBA student Chhavi Gupta opens door to Adobe

It’s not just Foster alumni who jump at the opportunity to invite students on company visits. Chhavi Gupta, a student in Foster’s Hybrid MBA program and Technical Consultant at Adobe, was also honored to invite her peers on an exclusive tour of her company’s San Jose campus.

“The experience created a unique bridge between academic theory and real-world practice,” Gupta said. “The diverse professional backgrounds of my Hybrid MBA cohort and fellow MBA students led to engaging discussions about potential career advancement opportunities and interests.”

Gupta also offered a detailed overview on the application process at Adobe, and moderated an informative panel with colleagues Swaroopa Mallikarjuna, Product Manager; Huong Vu, Product Marketing Manager; and Nanditha Sankar, Engagement & Retention Marketing Manager.

“It’s exciting to see participants build and strengthen connections through the shared experience of tackling real-world challenges in such a dynamic setting,” said Mikaela Boyd, Associate Director of Employer Partnerships on the Foster Career Management team that coordinated the Foster MBA Trek. “These experiences create lasting bonds that become a meaningful part of their Foster journey.”

Forming friendships across the Foster School

These Foster MBA Treks not only help students network with alumni and other business leaders, but also offer the opportunity to strengthen bonds within each program and throughout the Foster School of Business.

“The MBA Trek was incredibly insightful and a great opportunity to get to know my cohort better and connect with students from other programs,” said Akshay Singhal, a student in Foster’s Global Executive MBA program. “Meeting industry professionals and seeing the different cultures within each business was truly enriching.”

Students also were invited to experience yet another stage of business growth during a conversation with Entrepreneurial Product and Tech Leader Ram Alagianambi, a Technology Management MBA alumnus who discussed his journey from an engineer at tech giants HP and Microsoft to a consultant with over a decade of experience in startups.

“Our Foster MBA Treks are a powerful way for students to expand their professional network,” Boyd with the Foster Career Services team added, “not only with classmates but also with students from other MBA programs and our alumni community.”

Alagianambi encouraged students to participate in the Foster entrepreneurship competitions, such as the Dempsey Startup Competition, which Alagianambi credits with inspiring him to take his newfound MBA skills into the startup world.

“It was energizing to share insights on career paths, product management, leadership, and the evolving role of AI in our industry,” Alagianambi shared on LinkedIn. “Engaging with such passionate leaders reinforced why I love what I do — supporting and guiding those eager to make an impact. I was impressed by the students’ thoughtful questions and their genuine interest in not just following a career path but shaping it with intention and purpose.”

Student put MBA to work on LinkedIn

The experience was memorialized with a LinkedIn post by the UW Foster School of Business that students thoughtfully shared and commented on, including:

• Visiting Mattson, Zipline, Adobe, Nvidia, and Deloitte gave us amazing insights into how tech is transforming various industries like food, logistics, creative software, AI, and consulting! It was a wonderful experience. — Chandini Bhambhani, Technology Management MBA
• Each visit offered unique insights into how these companies are driving change and creating impact locally and globally. Grateful for the hands-on learning and meaningful conversations that expanded my perspective and knowledge. — Chait Borade, Hybrid MBA
• Visiting companies like NVIDIA, Adobe, Zipline, and more, we were able to witness cutting-edge technologies in action and connect with leaders who are shaping the future of their fields. If you’re looking for an MBA program that pushes boundaries and provides tangible industry engagement, these treks are invaluable. — Chris Garcia, Technology Management MBA
• From connecting with industry leaders to exploring exciting company tour, this experience was invaluable. The insights gained will definitely shape my journey. Looking forward to applying what I’ve learned and staying connected with everyone I met. — Xuan Zhang, Technology Management MBA

Learn more about Foster School of Business MBA programs here.

Photography by Marcus Badgley