 |
Sandi Aguirre |
The MITRE Johns Hopkins University Systems Engineering
Degree
Sandi Aguirre
October 2006
After being named one of Fortune Magazine's "100 Best Companies
to Work For" and Computerworld's "100 Best Places to Work in IT,"
MITRE has gained a national reputation for being a great place to
work. Among the many contributing factors to this designation is
MITRE's commitment to the continuing education of its staff.
As part of the commitment, the MITRE Institute, the company's in-house
education arm, working in partnership with Johns Hopkins University
(JHU), began an on-site Master of Science Systems Engineering degree
program at both of our corporate headquarters in McLean, Virginia,
and Bedford, Massachusetts. The first group of McLean staff completed
the program in March 2006. MITRE's Sandi Aguirre was among the first
group of graduates. Here's her story.
"I entered the MITRE JHU program on a whim actually," Aguirre says
with a laugh. "It was a last-minute impulse after a colleague asked
me to write a letter of recommendation for her so that she could
apply to the MITRE JHU Systems Engineering cohort program. It was
then that I genuinely looked into the program and decided this would
be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. The systems engineering
field aligns perfectly with work I had been doing during my MITRE
career—guiding and executing the engineering of complex systems."
Like all university-related degrees, getting accepted into the
program was the first hurdle. "From a MITRE perspective, the first
step was to complete the MITRE JHU application process and apply
to the MITRE Basic Educational Assistance Program. This included
writing an academic-objective statement to identify how MITRE and
MITRE's overall work program will benefit from the degree and how
I as an individual will benefit from it," she explains. "In addition,
you need to meet the JHU requirements, which include having a relevant
technical degree (I have a Bachelor of Science from George Mason
University) and at least two years related technical experience."
The MITRE JHU cohort program accepted 22 staff members from throughout
the corporation, and classes were held on the MITRE campuses in
Bedford and McLean.
Attending classes in McLean was a big bonus for Aguirre. "It was
extremely convenient to have the classes on site and not have to
travel to the Johns Hopkins campus [in Baltimore]," she says.
The System Engineering Perspective
The MITRE JHU program equips students with knowledge and problem
solving skills that guide the development of modern complex systems.
The program uses a hands-on approach that promotes students' ability
to think through the process of system development, from analyzing
requirements to deploying systems in the field. "Since the program
is taught by a combination of MITRE staff, JHU professors, and guest
speakers from academia, industry, and government, the coursework
included a number of different systems engineering perspectives,"
says Aguirre.
Like many specialty graduate degree programs, the MITRE JHU program
ends with a major group project in lieu of a master's thesis. Aguirre
describes hers: "My final project, the Capstone project, was an
intense 15-week competitive team assignment. The course objective
was to emulate the experience of applying systems engineering principles
and skills we learned throughout the program to a defined, advanced-development
challenge in a realistic setting. The students were self-organized
into four teams and were graded as part of their team and as individual
contributors."
It is this type of practical experience that gives participants
valuable new insights to their work. "I am currently supporting
a work program where I can directly apply the systems engineering
principles and practices I have learned in the design, implementation,
and project management of multiple complex-systems for the sponsor,"
says Aguirre.
A Worthwhile Experience
When asked if she would recommend the JHU program to other MITRE
staff, Aguirre replies, "Definitely. When a colleague asks me about
the MITRE JHU program I say that for me the program enabled me to
put all the different pieces of systems engineering together in
a supportive and high-quality learning environment. In addition,
I tell them that while the program may be overwhelming at times,
you need to hang in there because it's all worth it in the end."
She continues, "One of the things I like most about MITRE is the
collaborative, sharing, and supportive environment, and the ability
to tap into such a broad range of expertise and technologies. Participating
in the JHU program was an extension of that—it introduced
me to employees across the corporation and reunited me with others.
Plus, I met experts in the systems engineering field, like our instructor,
Christian Utara, who was this year's recipient of Excellence in
Teaching Awards for JHU Engineering and Applied Science Programs
for Professionals. In addition, the support from my peers, managers,
and classmates was phenomenal."
Now two-and-a-half years after she started, Aguirre is looking
forward to spending more time with family, friends, and on her golf
game. She is also glad to have more time to volunteer with the Northern
Virginia Regional Park Authority and play softball with the Fairfax
Adult League.
Aguirre appreciates the opportunity she had to participate in the
MITRE JHU cohort program and is especially glad that she took part
in the Johns Hopkins University advanced degree graduation ceremony.
"For me it was a highlight in my life to celebrate such an achievement
with my family and friends. At the graduation ceremony they had
a motto displayed that I now have hanging in my office, 'From This
Crossroads of Knowledge…Go and Touch the World.' I'm looking
forward to it."
—by Kay M. Upham
Related Information
Articles and News
Technical Papers
Websites
|
