Applicable education

Ambitious and determined, Piper Twachtmann '15 MBA says Mount Mercy helped build on her professional skills and advance her career.

MMU: What interested you about Mount Mercy’s MBA program?

PT: I knew Mount Mercy’s reputation of having a strong commitment to their students and involvement within the Corridor. As a working individual, I wanted an MBA program that would provide me opportunities to network with other professionals and focus on providing an education that would help me grow professionally.

Mount Mercy’s MBA program is ideal for people who are looking for ways to bolster their careers, expand their network, make new friends, continue their educational journey, and gain experiences in a multitude of areas.

The programs are also designed to take the principles of education and apply them to real world situations. The educational, racial, and organizational diversity of my peers provided me the chance to expand my point of view.

MMU: What makes our MBA program unique?

PT: All of the professors in the program care about you as a person—you are not just a number. They understand that many students have a full-time job, family, and other life commitments, and they understand the challenges of pursuing an advanced degree. Their support (even after graduation) cannot be matched. They put me first—not their bottom line.

I also think the class sizes make Mount Mercy’s MBA program unique. Each class I had was of a limited size, which allowed the students to network and truly get to know other students. From talking about where we worked, to about our families and lives, the friendships and network I built are still in place six years later. I attribute this to the focus the program has on extending the benefits of the program beyond just the quality education provided.

MMU: Where do you currently work and what is your role? Where do you hope to be in the future?

PT: I work at Collins Aerospace in Digital Technology as a manager, business & program management. I’m currently implementing a customer relationship management platform across all locations for our sales and service employees.

In the future, I hope to have an executive role within Collins Aerospace. Since completing my MBA, I have continued to advance within the organization, as my time in the MMU program helped me to grow significantly.

"Since completing my MBA, I have continued to advance within the organization, as my time in the MMU program helped me to grow significantly."

My presentation and writing skills considerably improved, allowing me to feel confident in presenting in front of large groups and executive leaders. My emotional intelligence also increased, as I was able to step back from situations to understand others’ points of view and recognize the strengths outside views brought to teams and situations. My ability to work under pressure and within tight deadlines also became stellar.

MMU: Did anything surprise you about our MBA program?

PT: The biggest surprise I had about the MBA program was the knowledge all of the professors brought to their classes. Each faculty member provided real-world scenarios, examples, and application for the subject matter. This allowed the material to transcend from the typical discussion into in-depth, applicable, and often lively conversation.