Edward Millet (MiM’23) on Embracing the Marathon of Professional Growth

As the spring semester comes to a close, Georgetown McDonough is pleased to commemorate the accomplishments of the Class of 2023. This year’s graduating class demonstrated immense commitment, discipline, and determination to reach this milestone, and we are proud to recognize their achievements as they embark on their next chapter as Hoya alumni. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting several of the exceptional students in the Class of 2023 as they share their personal stories, reflect on their time on the Hilltop, and preview what the future holds after commencement.

As a Master’s in Management (MiM) student, Edward Millet (MiM’23) recognized that his 10 months in the program would be a marathon, not a sprint – and he was ready for the challenge. With a community around him, Millet expanded his business expertise, shared meaningful experiences with classmates, grew close relationships with mentors, and explored business cultures abroad — and now, the soon-to-be graduate is ready for his next adventure after graduation as he embarks on a professional opportunity abroad in Amsterdam.

Here, Millet shares why keeping an adventurous spirit and open mind is important to one’s success, why he encourages incoming MiM students to have a growth mindset, and ultimately, why he is grateful to the people who made a long lasting impact on him personally and professionally over this time in the program. 

What is your favorite memory or proudest moment from your time at Georgetown?

My favorite memory from my time at Georgetown revolves around the community that the MiM program has provided me. After the final exam for our Leadership Communications class, the MiM cohort received an email about our Global Business Experience placement. Because we received the email together, it was a uniquely shared moment of excitement and joy. For me, I have always wanted to work abroad and that moment felt like the start of a dream coming true. Sharing that experience with my friends made it even better, and being one of 100 people celebrating the same thing at once is quite special. 

How do you plan to apply the skills you have learned at Georgetown in the next phase of your career? 

While I’ve truly grown my business expertise and hard skills, the program’s commitment to collaboration has unexpectedly enabled me to grow my creativity, openness, and adaptability while working on complex issues. I’ve also gained extensive knowledge of different cultures, languages, personalities, and perspectives from the diverse MiM cohort. Applying the diversity of perspectives and collaborative spirit to the hard cases that our curriculum presents is something that I’ve deeply valued while at Georgetown, and will continue to take with me throughout my career. 

What is one of the most important lessons you have learned while at Georgetown? 

Professional and personal advancement should be looked at as a marathon, not a sprint. The MiM program, like other things in life, has required patience, perseverance, commitment, and careful planning, as well as a bit of luck. I believe that my personal and professional journey will be similar. In my life, I’ll always have to navigate experiences and circumstances — the unexpected and the expected — over time. I will continue to be dedicated to a growth mindset and allow myself the space to fail or fall short, knowing that the race is longer than the short moment. For me, a growth mindset was revolutionary because it completely changed how I thought about a career. It’s not just the fastest mile that counts, it’s the perseverance and dedication to the entire journey. 

What were some of the most memorable aspects of your Global Business Experience?

I have a few memorable moments from my Global Business Experience (GBE) in Ireland. The first was visiting the client site. After working remotely for months, speaking over Zoom with the client, and developing recommendations for their operations, being able to visit and interact with the client in person was incredible. 

We had a relatively strong understanding of the company via our Zoom interactions, but having the opportunity to see the space for ourselves, engage with the employees, and see how our project would impact their workflow was a really unique experience. During my GBE, I also had the opportunity to learn about Irish business operations and cultural specificities.

The last thing I want to highlight about my GBE was the fun I had exploring Dublin with friends. Even though we were working in Ireland, I had time to explore Dublin, go to pubs, explore the countryside, and hang out with my cohort over the 10-day period. These moments with my friends, outside of the office, are ones that I will cherish and remember for the rest of my life.

Is there a particular person in the Georgetown community that has been instrumental to your success?

Professor Pinkowitz has been instrumental to my success, acting as both a mentor and instructor. Throughout his classes, I have been able to firmly grasp difficult financial concepts and explore a field I have always been interested in. On a more personal level, he is a great human being. Professor Pinkowitz ends each class by reminding our cohort to be kind to ourselves and to others. In a competitive graduate school environment, I cannot express how comforting it is to hear that from someone you admire. Professor Pinkowitz also is a great mentor. He takes time out of his schedule to chat casually about life, provide advice where he can, and guide his students professionally. Undoubtedly, Professor Pinkowitz has been an instrumental part of my success at Georgetown and I am deeply appreciative for his teaching and his camaraderie. 

What are your post-graduate plans? 

I am heading off to Amsterdam to work for Kraft Heinz at their international headquarters. I will be in an international management development program within their international business unit. I am very much looking forward to applying the skills I’ve gained from McDonough at Kraft and for the opportunity to work in a diverse, global environment. 

What advice would you give to future Georgetown MiM students?

Be open, curious, and kind. I came into McDonough with a very specific career goal that I didn’t end up pursuing because my classes and cohort experiences made me realize that I had a passion for international business. Because I was open to new curiosities, I ended up pivoting my focus. Today, I am very happily pursuing a new dream. I’d also encourage future MiM students to intentionally build their community. Get to know your professors and peers; they have immense experiences and valuable knowledge to share. With an open mind, you can achieve a lot at McDonough. Lastly, it has been so important for my experience to care for others around me and spread kindness. The 10-month program throws a lot at you and goes by quickly. Having a community to share the good and bad times with was critical for me. I’m grateful that I got to explore and enjoy a new city, as well as a new academic path, with a kind community.