Nick DiMaggio (MBA ’21) is now a consultant at Gallup
Today, Nick DiMaggio (MBA ’21) is a business strategy consultant at Gallup.
Just a few years ago, DiMaggio was enrolled in the full-time MBA program at Kellstadt.
It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Business was changing, and fast.
DiMaggio was at a turning point of his own. He had grown up in a family of business owners; conversations about “people, process, and products” were standard dinner-table fare. He had garnered extensive experience in sales across multiple industries. He aspired to one day lead a Fortune 500 company.
To get there, he’d realized, the best next step was to become an enterprise strategy consultant.
“I was looking around for programs that could help me do that effectively,” DiMaggio says. Two things stood out about Kellstadt. First, its business strategy concentration. And second, the ability to create a custom MBA concentration.
“This gave me flexibility,” DiMaggio says. “And it gave me the opportunity to stretch my business strategy skills.”
Read on for DiMaggio’s reflections on how Kellstadt equipped him to make an impact – and for how you can make the most out of your time in Kellstadt’s MBA program.
Find someone whose vision aligns with yours
“It’s important to find those professors who see the light,” DiMaggio says, “but can also challenge you.”
For DiMaggio, that person was Rafael Tenorio. A professor of economics, Tenorio approaches business strategy and decision-making by deploying tools from behavioral finance and game theory.
“Humans often act illogically,” DiMaggio says, describing one of the core tenets of behavioral economics. “We as humans understand that every day. Take going to the grocery store. We don’t need the Kit Kat bar. We know that. But every time, you find yourself buying it.”
Historically, researchers excluded irrationality from their models of the economy. A key insight of behavioral economics is that these models work better when researchers find ways to add irrationality – human behavior as it actually functions – back in.
“These undertows flow through our daily world,” says DiMaggio. He recognized them from his experience in sales. But have a “framework,” he says, made all the difference in his ability to harness insights from behavioral economics in his career.
Get the reps in
Another thing DiMaggio says was key to launching his career change? Putting theory into practice – and doing so over and over again.
He likens the hands-on learning he experienced at Kellstadt to a workout.
Learning new tactics, he says, is all about “getting the reps in.”
He cites a business strategy class as one example. He and the rest of his full-time MBA cohort got the chance to run a simulated market. This meant that students weren’t just practicing the strategies they studied. They were seeing how their actions impacted the market as a whole.
“How does the market move?” recalls DiMaggio. “How do the decisions we make help our company move forward?”
The exercise was meaningful precisely because students could see the results of their choices. In this regard, it was far from alone.
Work with real businesses on real challenges
A consulting class, DiMaggio says, took putting theory into practice to the next level.
Student groups partnered with firms to address urgent challenges. Many of these firms, DiMaggio says, were connected to the class via DePaul alumni.
DiMaggio’s group partnered with a third-party logistics company. The company’s charge for the MBA students: At a time when logistics are more essential – and complicated – than ever, how do you increase the retention of truck drivers?
In tackling this challenge, DiMaggio received guidance informed by on-the ground experience.
“Our professor was doing consulting himself,” DiMaggio says. This allowed him to teach models in a way that made their practical applications clear.
At the end of the quarter, the group presented their research to leaders at the firm. The group didn’t get to see the end results of their work. Instead, it functioned as a starting point. Equipped with the team’s thorough research, leaders would be able to conduct further analysis of their own.
Getting to work directly with key decision-makers, DiMaggio says, was an invaluable opportunity.
“These were real-world problems that we got to work on,” he says. “These businesses needed our perspective to move the needle.”
Be an entrepreneur in your own education
Looking back, DiMaggio sees his Kellstadt experience as lying the perfect intersection of three fields: business strategy, behavioral economics and game theory. DiMaggio’s passion and skillset led him to that intersection. At Kellstadt, he found the expertise and hands-on learning to combine the three areas.
Now, that intersection has become the launch point for the next phase of DiMaggio’s career.
“At Gallup, I found the intersection that I want to base my career on,” he says. In his consulting work today, he is able to combine all three areas of expertise. This has been especially impactful, he says, when he is able to help businesses keep employees engaged.
“Engagement can be linked directly to business outcomes,” says DiMaggio. “Think about productivity, or turnover, or sales — the list goes on and on.”
DiMaggio is able to trace that impact directly back to his approach to Kellstadt.
“It is your job, no matter where you go, to have an entrepreneurial spirit,” he reflects. “By having a custom MBA, Kellstadt gives you the ability to be that entrepreneur in your own education. To find your interests – and then double down on them. To build the network around you that will allow you to make that career change – and successfully launch it.”
By Mitchell J. Hill
When I was asked to write about my experience in the MBA program at DePaul, what first came to mind was to write about my reaction to the academic challenge that DePaul offered. However, what I think will be more relatable is the experience of my emotional journey through the MBA program. What I have been successful with as an adult is the ability to utilize the emotions I experience. Too often, I have feared the experience of feeling anxious that may accompany a hard task. My journey through the MBA program has taught me not to shy away from said emotions, but to embrace them. I strongly believe that if you’re feeling anxious, or afraid at work or school, then that means you care – that means your passion is aligned with your focus. Because why else would you feel so strongly about work or school, if you didn’t care?
A little backstory about myself – I had a brain tumor when I was two years old. I have had three brain surgeries and 43 MRIs to-date. Experiencing all of this has left me with lifelong trauma that has taken me 19 years to recognize, and eight years of therapy to contain. That said, I feel as though I am in a unique position to have a credible stance on living life to its fullest. What my time at DePaul has taught me is the ability to embrace emotions, not fear them. Being able to accept the fact that there may be some days that won’t go according to plan—that’s okay. The ability to recognize that if I’m feeling anxious, that that’s not a result of something I’m incapable of, or something I’m doing wrong, rather – it’s a reminder that I’m living and experiencing the emotions in life: not fearing them.
So, how does all of this relate to school, you ask? What a great question: You’re all reading this as new graduates, meaning you’ve accomplished a very impressive task. You should appreciate the journey that you’ve been on with tackling this accolade, rather than thinking “okay… what’s next.” It’s easy to view life from a lens of what you should accomplish next, which I do think has some merit to it – I mean, that’s where one’s drive comes from, right? What’s the next challenge? How am I going to better myself?
All I ask, however – from someone who is just starting to learn how to appreciate emotions and celebrate wins, – – is to slow down. Recognize the accomplishment you’ve just made by obtaining your first, maybe second, maybe multiple degrees, and bask in the satisfaction that comes with that accomplishment.
It’s taken me 27 years to learn how to be happy. My advice is to learn how to appreciate your accomplishments, appreciate your emotions. That’s what I think true success is. And that is the biggest takeaway I have gotten from my time at DePaul. Thank you and go Blue Demons.
Mitchell J. Hill received his Bachelor of Science in business communications with minors in psychology and journalism from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He went on to work in business development for a boutique digital agency at Shift7 Digital. After a three-year stint at Shift7, Mitchell left in January of 2022 to pursue his MBA at DePaul full-time. Mitchell since has relocated to Seattle Washington and is completing his Corporate Management Trainee program with a concentration on business development and sales with Hyatt Corporation. Mitchell has some experience with philanthropy as well having created a fundraiser to redecorate MRI rooms so they are more comforting for children. Along with the help of some partners, this project has led to the redecoration of 5 MRI rooms at Lurie Children’s Hospital in downtown Chicago.
By Natasha Baker
Over winter break last December, I joined a group of 18 business students and two professors on a study abroad trip to Singapore. I am getting my MBA at Kellstadt with a focus on international business. So, I knew that I could benefit so much from this experience to learn more about international business, more so than by sitting in a classroom.
I didn’t know that much about Singapore before the trip. I knew that it was a small city (it is actually a city, nation and a state) and that it was somewhere in Asia. I chose Singapore because it is a place that I have never been, and going felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was also interested in learning more about it because I’m hoping to live abroad after graduating, and I’ve heard that Singapore is a great place for expats to live. When you enroll in a study abroad business seminar, you have to attend a few meetings with your travel group before the trip to help prepare you for the experience and also to get to know everyone, which is helpful. The more I learned about Singapore in these pre-trip meetings, the more fascinated I became.
Arriving in Singapore
One of the many rooftop gardens with a great view of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
After a long 12 hours of travel, we arrived in Singapore to lovely 80 degrees and overcast skies. Everywhere we looked, we saw tropical plants and flowers blooming, even on the sides of buildings. Since 2005, Singapore has made it a goal to integrate environmental stability into its urban infrastructure, motivated by a desire to fashion a clean, efficient city that reduces the reliance on natural resource imports for construction. This is just one of the impressive, progressive things they do.
We admired the city and its infrastruce. It is one of the cleanest, more pristine cities I have ever been to. Also, extremely safe. The public transportation system is something us Chicago people dream about. What you can really notice is that the governement puts in a lot of effort and time to give residents a high quality of life no matter what your economic status is. This includes subsidized housing and healthcare.
A Diversity of Cultures
Exploring Haji Lane, one of the narrowest streets in Singapore, in the Kampong Glam neighborhood. The Lane is known for its shophouses, independent stores and cafes.
Our days were spent with a tour guide from Hello Singapore Tours. His name was Gee Soo and he was truly amazing and we became very close after spending many days together. Each day was filled with miles of walking, tons of food and hours of history lessons. The highlights for me were going to the areas of town that were forged by the many different demographics of people that ended up in Singapore. We explored areas like Chinatown, Little India, Katong and Kampong Glam. Although Singapore is only about 280 sq. miles long, you can walk from one neighborhood to another and feel like you’re in a completely different country. Each community of people (mainly from China, Malay, India and Eurasia) brought their culture from their home country to Singapore so that they didn’t feel so far from home. These culturally diverse neighborhoods were highlighted by beautiful temples and authentic cuisines.
A Spirit of Kindness
Our group in the Hindu Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple in Little India.
Something that surprised me the most about Singapore was how welcoming and kind all of the people were. Everyone is so relaxed, happy and wants to engage. An experience that stuck out to me that I can’t stop thinking about is when we visited the Hindu temple, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Anyone is allowed to enter the temple as long as your respect their requests of covering skin and removing shoes. At the time we walked in, they were doing blessings and prayers. If you gave a donation they would bless you with ash and give you a bag of flowers and fruit to give to the dieties as offerings. We walked around to see all of the different dieties and discussed what they were. We walked by some volunteers in the temple preparing food for a long line of patrons. They insisted that we try some of their vegetarian snacks and drinks. They were so kind and welcoming and after leaving I felt like I had experienced something so special. There were so many moments like this throughout the trip.
A Chance to Learn & Explore
Visiting Singapore was an educational experience, but it was also fun! We had a schedule of sites to visit every day, but during our free time we would explore the night life, museums, Gardens by the Bay, many hawker centers and even a night safari! The list goes on and on.
The trip was led by two stars of DePaul’s School of Hospitality Leadership, Lisa Young (director of the school) and Professor Juan Mendez. As it was a hospitality-focused study abroad trip, we spent a lot of time exploring the hospitality industry in Singapore. We visited many unique businesses that have found great hospitality niches in Singapore. What I appreciated about Lisa and Juan is that they let us decide what we wanted to get out of the trip based on our studies and interests, since not all of us were studying hospitality. Personally, I wanted to explore the possibility of moving to Singapore and what it would be like to work internationally. I was able to speak to people about what that experience would be like and it gave me a better understanding of what my options are.
Traveling abroad is an invaluable experience. You can’t really put into words how important it is for becoming a well-rounded human being. When you pair that with the focus and discipline of studying for your MBA, it opens up your mind to so many opportunities. I always regretted not studying abroad in my undergrad, but this trip made up for the lost opportunity.
Natasha Baker is a student at the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business pursuing an MBA with a focus on international business. She is from North Carolina and received her undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University. After two years as an executive assistant at TransUnion, Natasha recently transitioned into an account manager role. At DePaul, Natasha sits on the board of the Kellstadt Women in Business student organization as the VP of strategy. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, exploring the city of Chicago, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.
By Shanjali Arulmozhi Arasu
I was first drawn to DePaul because of the new healthcare markets and analytics concentration in the MBA program at Kellstadt. I was excited to dive into my learning journey and take advantage of all the opportunities that Kellstadt had to offer. I had read about these opportunities as I researched which universities to attend, so I had an idea of what to expect when I began my first quarter in fall 2022.
But there’s only so much you can learn about a university by reading about it. Now that I’ve completed my first quarter, I can say there is a lot I’ve learned about DePaul that I wasn’t aware of prior to becoming a student here. Here are the top three things I’ve discovered so far that make DePaul—and Kellstadt—a great place to be:
Job recruiters are quite literally at DePaul’s doorstep
My first day at DePaul, I was greeted by a Crowe pop-up stand with pizza even before I found my way to class. Crowe is an accounting, consulting and technology LLP and they were there that day recruiting business students and graduates and offering internship opportunities. If you would’ve told me before I’d come to DePaul that there would be recruiters literally on my way to class, I would’ve thought you were joking. But that is literally how accessible companies are to students at DePaul. The Big Four companies being KPMG, Deloitte, Ernest and Young and PwC have also made their big appearances at DePaul’s campus. DePaul provides students with many opportunities to know and connect with potential employers on campus. This way students don’t have to go far and beyond to get face-to-face with their dream company.
There’s a student organization for almost every interest
Whether you are interested in archery, cryptocurrency or simply love to read, DePaul welcomes you with more than 498 student clubs and groups that cater to so many different interests. I had always been interested in learning American Sign Language (ASL). I learned some ASL on my own during the COVID-19 lockdown period and was super excited when I found out that DePaul had an ASL club for undergrad and grad students. The club met throughout the quarter with events such as the Deaftopia, where students were able to get to know people in the deaf community and practice their sign language. DePaul’s numerous clubs offer a great way to meet peers in similar courses to you, learn more about a professional career, develop a hobby or simply network!
The career events and opportunities are countless
There are so many opportunities for Kellstadt students to gain real-world experiences in the field of their interest, and many student organizations that put together career-oriented events almost every day. One of my favorite events that I attended was a visit to the BMO office, organized by DePaul Females in Finance.
Students had the opportunity to receive a personal tour of the BMO office and hear from a panel of industry professionals from BMO, Northern Trust and 1871—an innovation hub in Chicago that DePaul students and alumni have special access to. We also heard from four Kellstadt alumni working in analytics, which provided great insight into the various careers in analytics, tips to ace the interview process, softwares used in the analytics field and more.
Another event that stood out to me was the fall 2022 career fair that featured over one hundred companies, ranging from the NFL, PWC, American Heart Association, CVS health etc. This event exposed students from all across DePaul to recruiters and allowed for essential networking. Being able to meet and develop relationships with career professionals from so many different companies was immensely valuable.
DePaul took me by surprise in the best way possible by offering the kind of support I didn’t know I needed in my personal and career life. Whether it was the staff, professors or the clubs, I felt welcomed with open arms and was given a safe space to express myself and learn from those around me.
Shanjali Arulmozhi Arasu grew up in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, earned her bachelor’s degree in the United Kingdom and currently lives in Chicago, where she is pursuing her MBA with a concentration in healthcare markets and analytics at DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. A graduate assistant in the Department of Economics, she is passionate about healthcare management and has plans to work in the field after graduating. Shanjali loves cats and enjoys exploring the City of Chicago in her leisure time.
Mike Robinson served in the U.S. Navy for five years as a nuclear physics instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power School in Charleston, S.C. The Navy’s submarines and aircraft carriers are powered by nuclear reactors and it was his job to teach future operators the fundamental theories of how they worked. During his last year of service, he also took on a managerial role, which included mentoring and overseeing the training of new instructors and working on various curriculum changes. Being stationed in Charleston was a great opportunity, he says, to explore nature and the outdoors. Today, Robinson is pursuing his MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship at the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
Why did you decide to study business?
Mike Robinson
I chose business because it will provide me with valuable skills in leadership and management, along with a solid background of knowledge that will be useful for starting and growing companies. I would like to become more involved in organizations that connect and help others using technology. Whether I join a small startup or create my own business, I believe the experience I gain at DePaul will be vital to this journey.
How is the college experience different for veterans?
My college experience as a veteran is notably different from my experience before as an undergraduate. Most veteran students are older compared to an average undergraduate student, since they have done time in the service first, and they have more hands-on work experience. I think this makes it a bit easier to manage one’s time, meet deadlines and formulate a plan before execution.
At the same time, veteran students might have more responsibilities such as families or work that might demand more of their resources. There is a bit more balancing that needs to be done, but I think prior military experience provides a good framework for this skill. In addition, I found that I really connected with other veteran students as our shared experiences went a long way.
What advice do you give veterans on how their training could apply to studying and pursuing careers in business?
There are quite a few parallels between the military and business school. Veterans have the organizational skills and discipline to get tasks done properly and efficiently, whether it be a midterm paper or preparing for a class presentation. Regardless if a veteran student is pursuing an undergraduate degree full-time with four classes or just going part time for a graduate program, I would recommend that they see the similarities between the military and their program; instead of physical training, there is mental training (learning), etc. Also, setting a schedule is vital; in the military so much of the day is planned for you. With all the freedoms that come with being a student, keeping a planner is essential.
How was your experience transitioning to DePaul as a veteran student?
My transition from active duty to student became much easier once I committed to being a student and stuck to a daily routine. I think it is easy for veterans to wander a bit when they first lose the rigid structure of the military. Once I started attending DePaul full-time, I was able to devote myself to learning and it helped me get a strong sense of purpose and vision, which I think many veterans struggle with when first leaving the military. The time that I did take off between the Navy and graduate school provided me with some time to travel and see parts of the world that I hadn’t seen, such as the Caribbean.
Now I am living somewhere I’ve never lived before (Chicago) and I feel blessed that it has been such a positive experience. It is easy to make friends in the city, build strong connections and find communities to thrive in. Everyone I have interacted with at DePaul (students, professors, advisors etc.) has been friendly, helpful and supportive. I wouldn’t be nearly as successful as a student if it wasn’t for them.
Check out these veteran student resources at DePaul University:
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