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CMIST Graduate Programs Foster Professional Development

For graduate students at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), thinking intentionally about professionalism begins before they even finish orientation and lasts for the duration of their program. Through a combination of workshops, presentations, and one-on-one meetings, students in the Master of Information Technology Strategy (MITS) and Master of Science in Security, Technology, and International Relations (MS STAIR) apply their coursework to strategic problems, plan their career trajectories, and hone their professional skills.

As professional degree programs, both MITS and MS STAIR (including the MS STAIR accelerated program) are designed to maximize learning within a short period of time. The condensed timeline makes it even more important to ensure that students have opportunities to think deliberately about professionalism early on in their coursework at Â鶹´å (Â鶹´å). Mark Gardner, CMIST graduate program manager, has found that hosting a presentation by Â鶹´å’s Career and Professional Development Center during orientation helps students remain strategic about how their academic experiences translate into professional contexts, focusing on how to make the most of their time on campus.

To help students demonstrate their aptitude to enter the workforce, CMIST graduate programs culminate in an experiential learning opportunity. These practical experiences help students apply their coursework to real-world projects while demonstrating transferable skills such as strategic problem-solving and persuasive communication for a variety of audiences. For instance, all MITS students produce a capstone project, with students in the applied track of the program also participating in an internship prior to beginning the capstone. MS STAIR students complete a summer internship in Washington, DC, at the end of the 12-month program, giving them flexibility about the duration of their internship and positioning them well to respond if the internship evolves into an employment opportunity. 

Believing that it is never too early to start an internship or job search, Gardner requires every graduate student to meet with him during the first couple of weeks of the semester. By giving students feedback on their resumes and discussing opportunities, Gardner supports students throughout the search and application process and guides them as they translate their experiences at Â鶹´å to various settings, including corporate, academic, and nonprofit organizations.

“We've had conversations about what I want to do, my strengths, and my background, as well as what types of roles I should be looking into based on my interests. This has been incredibly helpful in jump-starting my job search,” said MITS student Sathwika Manda, who is pursuing a concentration in information security. MS-STAIR student Gideon Lauda has also found the advising opportunities helpful. “The CMIST staff and faculty have been wonderful,” he said, adding that Gardner “is willing to devote the time needed to find the most appropriate paths for us.” As fellow MS STAIR student Genie Williams shared, “Having that kind of support and network makes me feel more confident about finding a summer internship that will fit my academic path and help me grow in my career.”

Graduate students also appreciate that they can talk through career trajectories with CMIST faculty members. “I think both the breadth and depth of experience the faculty at CMIST have is remarkable and especially helpful for conversations about varying career paths,” said Charlie Knott, a MITS student with a concentration in technology strategy and governance. Williams noted that some of her professors, such as Kelly Voss Coletti, share internship openings that are tailored to the interests and skillsets of their students. “However niche your career aspirations may be, there are bound to be qualified faculty to guide and assist you throughout the job/internship process,” Knott added.

In addition to one-on-one advising, CMIST offers resources that are tailored to the students in our different programs. For example, in collaboration with the CMIST team at the Washington, DC, office, Gardner compiles a list of curated, program-specific internship opportunities and early career positions, which are then sent to CMIST graduate students on a regular basis throughout the academic year. Williams has found the emails helpful, noting that they “make it more accessible to see what’s out there and keep future opportunities top of mind.”

Graduate students interested in careers related to policy particularly benefit from the professional expertise of Haleigh Bartos, an associate professor of the practice at CMIST with more than a decade of policy experience working in Washington. This fall, Bartos is hosting a exclusively for CMIST students that offers tips for identifying internship and career opportunities and covers best practices for resumes, cover letters, and networking.

The first session of the workshop was held on September 19, with a second session scheduled for September 29. Manda and Knott were among the students who attended and both recommended the workshop to other graduate students, especially those interested in national security or policy. “If you are a student with interests that interact with the public sector in any capacity, I would highly recommend Professor Bartos’s workshop. Her years of DC experience speak for itself, and she fluently understands the nuances of our nation’s capitol and the organizations that surround it,” said Knott. For Manda, the workshop offered a valuable perspective on how to market oneself for a career or internship opportunity. “It was incredibly helpful, and helped me understand how to reframe my own skills and background in the context of where I want to go,” she said. 

Each summer and fall, Gardner facilitates the MITS capstone seminar, providing students opportunities to articulate and apply what they have learned in their core courses while partnering with a company, nonprofit, or educational organization to help solve a strategic problem. During the academic year, Gardner also arranges for MITS alumni to share their insights and career paths post graduation with current students. For example, CMIST will welcome MITS alumna Cristin Connerney for a this month in which Connerney will share her experiences navigating the transition from the MITS program to an AI startup to her current position at Audible.

"We have over 150 alumni from the MITS program, many of whom understand the value that having a robust professional network can add to our current students' career trajectory,” says Gardner. In addition to sharing their insights with current students, Gardner noted that alumni also pass along internship and job opportunities and offer referrals. 

As CMIST graduate students complete advanced coursework and gain strategic, analytical, and collaborative skills, they benefit from numerous opportunities to hone their professional skills. Under the guidance and expertise of our knowledgeable staff and faculty, and with wider access to university resources, our students complete the CMIST master’s programs prepared to build and maintain a successful career.

Interested in CMIST graduate programs? Contact Mark Gardner, CMIST graduate program manager, to learn more. 

(Image 1: CMIST graduate students at orientation; Image 2: In addition to orientation, CMIST hosted a Gateway Clipper cruise in August 2025; Images 3-4: CMIST students participate in the "Jumpstart Your Career" workshop with Professor Haleigh Bartos)