An Insider's Look at the MIT LGO Admissions Process

By Vicki Mach, MIT LGO Admissions and Career Development Officer

I often tell my family members and loved ones that my job offers me the best of many worlds. I spent my college years studying social anthropology and economics at a nearby competitive Cambridge institution, and it was during this time when I first developed a passion for higher education management. In my dual role as LGO’s Admissions and Career Development Officer, I can say without a moment’s hesitation that LGO students are among the warmest, brightest, and most down-to-Earth people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Not only that, but my colleagues—whether they’re the fellow LGO staff members who sit 10 feet away, or the Sloan admissions folks who work in the adjacent building, or the engineering administrators who are situated throughout the larger MIT campus—genuinely feel like family to me.



Vicki Mach, MIT LGO Admissions and Career Development Officer

Besides the students and staff members, one of the things I appreciate the most about my job is the direct interaction I have with applicants. This responsibility in particular has taught me the importance of balancing compassion with competence, flexibility with firmness, passion with purpose. As I listen to applicants describe their excitement and worries, struggles and accomplishments, backgrounds and aspirations, I feel as if I were experiencing the human condition in all its intricacies.

While I understand how the application process may seem daunting, we really strive to make things as smooth and straightforward as possible. We are always here to help. I hope that the rest of this blog post would help answer some of the main questions that have been on your mind.

Every day, I hear from a number of applicants with inquiries about the MIT LGO admissions process. Most questions take the form of "I'm interested and I'd like to apply; what's next?" or "I'm interested and I've already applied; what's next?" If you fall into either category, then read on for an overview of how the MIT LGO admissions process works.

The Basics

Submit your application to LGO through either MIT Sloan or the MIT School of Engineering (not both) by December 15, 2009. The application must include:

• Cover letter (if applying through MIT Sloan) or Statement of Objectives (if applying through MIT School of Engineering)


• Five essays


• Resume


• Three letters of recommendation


• Transcripts


• Test scores

For complete details, be sure to visit our Admissions Process section.

Interviews

LGO interviews are conducted by invitation only. We will send interview invitations beginning in mid-January and continuing through March 8, 2010. Interviews will take place from late January through March 8, 2010.

Decision Date

On March 8, 2010, we will send out MIT LGO admissions decisions via U.S. mail.

Post-Decision Date

Admitted candidates will be encouraged to attend our annual LGO Open House on April 1 and 2, 2010. There, they will have opportunities to connect with potential classmates, current students, staff and faculty members.

The deposit deadline for the Class of 2012 is April 7, 2010.

Stay in the Loop

Would you like to receive regular updates from LGO? Be sure to fill out a student profile.

Other Resources

For more details on the MIT LGO admissions process:

• Visit our comprehensive FAQ section.


• Download our program brochure.


• Email us at lgo@mit.edu.

The Heart is the Hallway

By Jon Griffith, Director of Operations and Partner Relations, LGO-SDM

I'm an early bird. Maybe it's programmed in my genes, but as long as I can remember, I've found pleasure in getting up early.

When I arrive at LGO/SDM at 6:45 a.m., the long hallway from the front glass door to the administrative offices is empty, the breakout rooms dark and silent. The first thing I do is to turn on the lights over the large framed pictures of the current classes.

The faces...It's astounding because as a staff we really do get to know the people behind the faces. Sometimes it's a race to finish this program in two years, and we don't always get to know each person to the same depth. But eventually, through committees and our daily interactions, the students' essence comes alive.

Next I turn on our digital picture frames that represent the LGO and SDM programs with images that change all day. The LGO monitor lights up, and once more we honor Harrison Smith, LGO '99. Maybe it's my age, but I don't think we should forget Harrison, who died shortly after graduation on his way to his job at Dell.



We remember Harrison Smith, LGO '99, with an award named in his honor.

One of the best things we do all year is give the Harrison Smith Award. This peer award goes to a member of the cohort who had the most positive impact on his or her class. Harrison's family returns for the award each May, as do many of the award recipients. It means that much.

Next comes the large display monitor that we use to advertise events. Finally, I head into the administrative office and prop open the door, turning once more to look back down the hall the other way.

Know this: The heart is the hallway. If you don't believe me, then just stand there for 15 minutes on any given day. Listen to the teams in the breakout room, the conversations in the lounge, the students returning from class.

Maybe we should ask prospective students to do just that, without anyone to interpret for them. By doing so, they would understand in their gut what the two-year LGO transformation is all about: the community, the people, the relationships.

It all seems so ephemeral when you get to graduation. Where did the time go? But if you know the hallway, you understand the lasting impact. I know I do when I turn to look down the hallway at the beginning of my day.

I go in to make the coffee. Let the day begin.

Five Questions with...Liron Azrielant

Liron Azrielant, LGO '11, hails from Tel Aviv, Israel. In 2007 she graduated from Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a degree in mathematics and physics. Her engineering discipline at LGO is computer science.

What was the biggest factor that drew you to LGO?
The combination of management and engineering. I was looking for a management path that combines technical skills and analytical ability, and the LGO program is targeted at just that. Also, the fact that we earn two master's degrees — one from MIT and one from Sloan — in just two years makes this program unmatchable.

Has anything surprised you about MIT and/or LGO?
How fast our class came together as a group. I came here straight from Israel five months ago, and I did not know anybody here. Over the summer I got to know my class and found great friends much faster than I thought I would. I am always surprised by how close the people in our class are to one another and by the high level of commitment we have to each other.

What is your favorite thing to do in Cambridge/Boston?
Every Wednesday, the first- and second-year Sloan classes meet at a nearby pub called BHP (Beacon Hill Pub). There is nothing special about the place itself, but it is always fun to go there and meet more Sloan students in an informal atmosphere.

Which talent would you most like to have?
Play guitar. I have tried to learn many times ever since I was 16. I can switch between chords pretty well, but I have absolutely no sense of rhythm. Also, I can't sing at all and just playing the music is not as fun.

If money were no object, where would you most like to live?
Back in Tel Aviv, in a big apartment near the beach.

2009 MIT Global Ops Conference – Be There!

By Lois Slavin, Communications Director, MIT LGO-SDM

As communications director for MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program and System Design and Management program, I have the privilege of working on some very exciting events, like the upcoming MIT Global Operations Conference scheduled for December 2 – December 3, 2009 at MIT. The conference theme is New Visions for Global Operations: From Product Development Through Delivery and Recycling.

It’s a great opportunity to hear some of MIT’s and industry’s most exciting visionaries and learn about the latest ideas to globally design, develop, manufacture and distribute.

Speakers include top execs from Dell, Novartis, Cisco and Continuum and MIT faculty.

More details here.

Hope to see you!

LGO in NY Times!

LGO received some nice coverage on the NY Times website earlier this week, specifically as a specialized crossover program between MIT Sloan and the MIT School of Engineering.
Check it out!

LGO Alums Inspire Youth to Become Tomorrow’s Heroes

By Lois Slavin, Communications Director, MIT LGO-SDM

I’m continually impressed by the ways that LGOs apply their learning in engineering and management – not just in the world of business but also in the world-at-large.

Case in point: the work of LGO ’97s Sue Nagle, Elizabeth Kao, and Cynthia Closkey, who are collaborating on a non-profit start-up called SheHeroes. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, the organization’s mission is to provide positive role models to ‘tween aged girls of all socio-economic backgrounds via an on-demand video series and social networking sites. SheHeroes’ goal is to show ‘tweens positive role models with whom they can identify and ultimately to help them develop rewarding careers. The organization will also reach out to families and educators with discussion materials so that they can support the girls as they evolve.



Sue Nagle, LGO '97, Founder and CEO, SheHeroes
Photos courtesy of SheHeroes



Elizabeth Kao, LGO '97, Resource Development Director, SheHeroes
Photos courtesy of SheHeroes



Cynthia Closkey, LGO '97, Technical Director, SheHeroes
Photos courtesy of SheHeroes

Sue Nagle, SheHeroes Founder and CEO, believes in the importance of showing young girls what they have in common with great people – especially those who are not necessarily well-known. "We showcase models that we ought to see in the media, but don’t," she says.

Needless to say, you won’t necessarily see any rock stars on the SheHeroes website, but you can find a video about Marion Downs – the "Mother of Audiology". This pilot video explains how Downs discovered that addressing infant hearing problems early is critical to their language development for their entire lives. Also posted are questions for parents and teachers to discuss with the kids after watching the video.



Caption: In addition to its other services, SheHeroes works with ‘tweens to develop their video production skills so that they can produce and shoot the videos themselves. Multi-cultural dance legend Cleo Parker Robinson was recently interviewed by Girl Scouts Nicole Conklin and Carly Fabian for an upcoming SheHeroes video. The girls took turns both interviewing Cleo and running the camera.
Credit: Photo by Stephanie May, courtesy of SheHeroes

Nagle was inspired to create SheHeroes three years ago, when her daughter was just four. "I looked at the ways that women are portrayed in the media and realized that there are plenty of role models who ought do be there but aren’t," she says.

Together with MIT alumnae Sophia Yen, MD, BS, Biology, MIT ’92, and fellow LGO alum Cynthia Closkey, founder and president of Big Big Design, Sue formally founded SheHeroes. She then turned to another LGO alumnae from the class of 1997: Elizabeth Kao.

All three LGO women have extensive – and successful – backgrounds in manufacturing and operations. Nagle worked in marketing, product development, and operations management at HP, Intel and Pitney Bowes, and also has 10 years experience in management consulting. Kao, who has two young children spent 10 years at Ford Motor Company, working in strategy, manufacturing, and product development and Closkey worked for over nine years in industry at companies that included Oracle, NeXT, and Nortel.

Not surprisingly, the LGO influence is embedded in the experience of each of them. Closkey, who lives near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, notes that her involvement with SheHeroes was facilitated through the LGO alumni network. "Sue knew that I was involved in social media and video production and called to discuss that," says Closkey, who put together a quick site for fundraising. As technical director for SheHeroes, she is now engaged in creating a website that simultaneously delivers information and builds community.

Closkey, who lives in Butler, PA, adds that when she works as part of a team, she employs the LGO norm of checking in at the beginning of meetings and using a common language to develop a shared understanding within the group to align efforts moving forward. She adds that she applies the tools she learned in economics and accounting as well, noting that they are "critical for grounding."

Kao and her sister, Penelope Kopf, both work as SheHeroes’ resource development directors through a job sharing arrangement. Kao, who lives in Northville, Michigan, says she uses the Voice of the Customer tools that she learned as an LGO student to help with focus groups designed to help improve SheHeroes videos and other offerings.

That said, the LGO connection doesn’t stop there. Another LGO ’97 alum, Scott Jacobson, recently signed on to help with the Voice of the Customer work after learning about SheHeroes at an LGO alumni networking event. Moreover, MIT students Eddie Lei, Mechanical Enineering/Management, ’09, Hassani Lynn Turner MBA, ’10, Sreya Sengupta BS, Economics, ’10, and Gloria Yang, Math/Management ’11 have been engaged too.

"Sharing the LGO tools and language with others in SheHeroes is powerful," says Kao.

LGO Alums Reconnect in Pacific Northwest

by R.J. Lehman, LGO ‘11

Mount Hood. Powell’s City of Books. Craft beers. Portland, Oregon is known for many things, but after this year Leaders for Global Operations alums can add another item to the list: an outstanding annual alumni conference.

Over 90 LGO alumni representing almost every graduating class gathered on October 7-9, 2009 at Bridgeport Brewpub, the first craft brewery in the world capital of microbreweries, for the 2009 LGO Alumni Conference. Reflecting Portland’s reputation as a hub of sustainability within the United States, the conference theme was "Sustainability and the Global Operations Leader."



LGO alums en route to a plant trek during the 2009 LGO alumni conference.

The planning team for the alumni conference included representation from several LGO classes, including Julie Endress ’98; Terri Bazel and Bob Bliss, ’99; Gavin DeNyse, Andrea Steyskal, and David Knudsen, ’01; Nathan Smith, ’02; James Brooks and Shion Hung, ’04; Christine Ging , Michelle Pangborn, Aaron Raphel, Ronak Shah, and Claudia Sonnet, ’05; and LGO student Angelo Capuzzi’10.

The conference could not have taken place without the generous sponsorship of Raytheon and ABB. Raytheon also sponsored last year’s conference, and both Raytheon and ABB continue to be valuable supporters of the LGO program. Apple, Inc. and woodpellets.com, sponsored two of the conference’s happy hours.

Tying the theme of sustainability into their presentations in insightful, and sometimes artfully-crafted, ways, the speakers at this year’s conference discussed a variety of industries and topics. This included:

• Duke Castle, CEO and founder of The Castle Group, in "A Framework for Sustainability," who described the Swedish-born management concept of "The Natural Step" and its implications for developing sustainable business processes.


• Caitlin Morris, Director in Sustainable Business and Innovation for Nike, who presented "Nike's Story on Transformation," a story that includes the issues of sustainability and business integration, stakeholder engagement, and regional corporate social responsibility programs.


• Aaron Fyke (LGO ’02), Director of the Energy Prize Development for the X PRIZE Foundation. He discussed "Cleantech Markets and Opportunities" providing a call to action on the need for growth and innovation.


• Michael Brylawski (LGO ‘04), VP of Corporate Strategy for Bright Automotive. Their presentation was entitled "Sustainability in the Transport Sector - How LGOs are Decarbonizing Transportation."


• Corinne Dubois and Kevin Koertje, both of Boise Paper, who discussed recent "Green Initiatives in the Paper Industry"


• Jim Miller (LGO ’93), Principal of Sierra Crest Consulting, presented "Clean Technology and Sustainable Business Deep Dive – Solar," in which he described the fundamentals of the solar market, highlighting specific opportunities for LGOs to enter the industry.


• Jay Celorie, Global Program Manager of Supply Chain Energy for Hewlett-Packard, discussed "Social and Environmental Responsibility in Supply Chain," emphasizing steps HP has taken to reduce the carbon footprint of production throughout the supply chain and across a product’s life-cycle.


• Alan Hickenbottom, Founder of Tanner Creek Energy, in "Entrepreneurship within the Sustainability Space," shared his experience and lessons learned in starting a project development business in commercial-, industrial- and utility-scale solar power systems.


• Mark Graban (LGO ’99), Senior Fellow at the Lean Enterprise Institute, "Healthcare and Lean Methods," outlined lessons learned in bringing Lean to a hospital setting.

The current LGO classes, through the LGO Alumni Relations Committee, initiated a new tradition this year by sending a student representative to the conference. R.J. Lehman (LGO ’11) gave a short presentation, offering a current student’s perspective on the program and seeking feedback on improving student-alumni connectedness. (Editor’s note: RJ also authored this article.)

Don Rosenfield, LGO Director, gave the customary closing address. This consisted of an update on the program’s recent developments, including the formal change of name to Leaders for Global Operations, as well as near-term goals and priorities.

And what LGO get together would be complete without the hands on experience of a plant tour? This year, there were five options for alumni to choose from: SolarWorld’s crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing plant, Intel’s Fab 20, Oregon Ironworks, the Bonneville Lock and Dam, and Schnitzer Steel Industries’ steel recycling plant. SolarWorld’s fully-integrated PV production line at the Hillsboro facility includes crystal growing, wafering and cell production. Those on the Intel plant tour saw the environmental management and water recycling systems that support safe and sustainable processes at Intel’s Fab 20 production and D1D development facilities. Oregon Ironworks has a diversified product portfolio which includes wave energy and streetcars. The Bonneville Dam, located forty miles east of Portland, supplies the region with inexpensive, renewable power and also features fish ladders to enable salmon and steelhead runs, minimizing the environmental impact of the Dam. One of the world’s largest recyclers of scrap metal, Schnitzer Steel’s Portland facilityrecycles bulk steel and shreds automobiles to create a low-impact alternative to virgin materials.

Complementing the variety of intellectually-engaging speakers at this year’s conference and the plant tours, the multiple social breaks in between and after these events provided excellent opportunities to reconnect with old friends and build new relationships. Early birds to the conference gathered at Paragon Restaurant on Wednesday evening for a networking event sponsored by woodpellets.com. On Thursday, Apple hosted at happy hour at the second floor of Henry’s 12th Street Tavern. Not only did this feature fine food and beverage, but several pool tables (for the more competitive) and a Wii complete with an HD flatscreen (for jet-lagged East-Coasters hoping to ward off heavy eyelids, perhaps). On Friday afternoon, following Don Rosenfield’s update and closing remarks by hosts Bob Bliss and Ronak Shah, the group relocated to the Lucky Labrador Brewing Company Beer Hall for a closing networking event sponsored by the Peter Haughton (LGO ’04) Memorial Fund.

From presentations to social outings to plant tours, the 2009 LGO Alumni Conference provided a wealth of opportunities to gain perspective from different industries, make new connections and re-connect with friends and fellow LGOs.