Expanding Possibilities

Melanie McEwen (MBA ’16) humbly balances a full-time MBA program, a daily commute from Milwaukee, and responsibilities caring for three children. She came to the University of Wisconsin–Madison driven by a desire to grow and develop as a professional, and as a leader. Now in her second year as a student specializing in corporate finance and investment banking, Melanie is gaining the finance skills and best business practices she needs to transition to a new career.

After 10 years working in manufacturing engineering and product management at Rockwell Automation, Melanie decided to advance her career by expanding her business acumen. A fellow of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM), she received full financial support and a project assistantship. The Wisconsin School of Business is a founding member of The Consortium, which removes barriers for underrepresented minorities and helps to increase their representation in business corporate leadership. The Consortium awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to top MBA candidates.

For Melanie, financial support helps tremendously. “I can be at Wisconsin and gain the skills that I came here to get, and then go home and be able to take care of my family without having to worry about how I am going to pay my way through school,” she says. “The financial support has a deeper meaning than just dollars and cents; for me, it’s more personal than it is financial.”

Melanie stands out as a leader and mentor to other business students. Through her project assistantship, Melanie worked with the WSB MBA Admissions Office during her first year and now works in Career Services. She previously helped coordinate diversity and admissions events and talked to prospective students about coming to UW–Madison. Now, Melanie focuses her time helping classmates prepare for mock interviews.

“One thing that really motivates and inspires me is knowing that the choices I make—whether in business or my professional life—have the opportunity to impact someone greatly,” she says. “With the decisions I make each day, I get to choose how I’m going to impact someone’s life.”

Melanie credits the Wisconsin School of Business with helping her continue on a journey of learning. “Education is the key to everything,” she says. “I believe in a continuous journey of learning—a continued evolution of personal development, professional development, and intellectual development. Education is the foundation of all of that.”

With a passion for paying it forward, Melanie hopes to bring the best practices she learns at the Wisconsin School of Business to her volunteer efforts within small business or non-profit organization such as the United Way of Greater Milwaukee or the Signature Dance Company, a non-profit for young girls focused on developing leadership skills through the art of dance.

“I would love to be in a position one day where my giving exceeds my living,” she says. “It’s not necessarily a career goal, but it’s certainly a personal goal. To give, and to give at great levels.”