LGO is much more than a two-year degree: It’s a lifelong community.
MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) Dual Degree Program is more than a transformative educational experience. It’s a thriving community that supports students in a chain reaction of mentorship and enthusiasm. The relationships formed through the program create a domino effect of career support and inclusivity that alums prize alongside their degree.
“LGO is many things —a program, a skillset, an experience, an education — but, no surprise, it is also a network,” says Scott McArthur ‘17, who recommended longtime friend Milani Chatterji-Len ‘26 for the program.
The pair met when McArthur was an LGO student while Milani was an undergrad at MIT, building camaraderie through the Water Club and the Water Innovation Prize. They lost touch over the years, but when Chatterji-Len reached out to ask about LGO, they picked right back up from their MIT days. Chatterji-Len was impressed at how readily available–and vocal–LGO alumni were in support of her application.
“I decided to consider applying for LGO because of the awesome things I heard about the program from LGO students like Scott. Scott and other alums all responded immediately and offered candid insights on the program. It solidified my choice to apply for LGO,” Chatterji-Len says.
If this was how they treated her before she even enrolled, it could only mean good things as a student and future alumna.
“The LGO community is like those friends you grow up with: You might not talk to them for a few months, years, or even decades. But, when you do, it’s like no time has passed. There’s a bond that inclines everyone in the community to go out of the way for each other to support them on their leadership, career, or personal journey,” McArthur explains.
But she also made time to inform colleague Lanre Oludipe ‘25 about the LGO program; now, he’s thriving as an LGO student, despite his initial doubts about qualifications.
The pair met at an Amgen-sponsored event for the National Black Society of Engineers (NSBE), where they swapped stories about their Amgen careers and plans. Right away, Heslop knew that LGO would be a strong fit for Oludipe: She just needed him to see it, too.
In fact, Oludipe had heard about LGO but had never considered the program a possibility until making the personal connection with Heslop. He’d worked hard to move from his hometown in Nigeria to pursue a college degree in South Africa, before coming to the United States to earn degrees at Morehouse and RPI. Heslop assured himthat he could make the next leap to further his career.
“Hearing an alumna tell me about the possible career trajectories and helping me understand that I had a similar profile to what LGO is looking for kick-started my interest in the program,” he says.
Heslop personifies the accessible brand of mentorship that defines the LGO experience.
“There are so many engineering and operations people who are looking for that next step in their career, are maybe a bit unsure about a traditional MBA, but don’t know that LGO exists,” Heslop says. “I’m particularly passionate about spreading the word to people of color who I think would be a great fit but may not have had the opportunity to learn about the program. I believe alumni engagement is a critical pillar in ensuring that the pipeline remains richly diverse.”
The colleagues stayed in close touch throughout his application process, and Heslop even connected him with another LGO alumni, Valery Lorou ‘19, “who acted as my application buddy,” Oludipe says. “Valery not only helped critique my essays and provided great feedback but was also a huge source of motivation for me in times when I had doubts about my ability to get into the program.”
Lorou, meanwhile, was moved by Oludipe’s commitment to his career and his humble attitude, assuring him that his LGO dream was truly attainable.
“He clearly showed his intention to attend the MIT LGO program in order to become an impactful leader and realized his dream. I was touched by his humility,” Lorou says.
They met regularly to strategize his application, which served as a logistical bonus, but also offered a boost of something unquantifiable: self-esteem.
“I gave him some words of encouragement: not to compare himself to other applicants and not to try to be the perfect candidate. Instead, I asked him to be authentic through his essays. The LGO admissions team needed to see the true Lanre, the one who worked very hard to come to the U.S. when the odds were against him,” Lorou explains.
Today, Oludipe is determined to encourage a new generation of LGO students.
“Who knows? If I hadn’t talked to an alum like Janelle that evening, maybe LGO would’ve simply been a dream that I never acted on,” Oludipe says. “For that reason, I love to pay it forward and talk about the LGO program to anyone who cares to listen.”
Nalaka Kahawatte ‘20 and Lauren Heintz ‘23 enjoyed a similar mentoring relationship, meeting through a Boeing mentorship program. Kahawatte championed Heintz’s LGO application, going so far as to assemble a mock interview panel for her in preparation for her interview.
“At the early stages of our mentoring relationship, it was fairly obvious to me that Lauren Heintz is a superstar, destined to make a meaningful impact in the world,” Kahawatte says. “Considering the incredible impact LGO and its tight-knit community continue to have in my growth as a leader, I was thrilled to recommend the LGO program as an ideal next step in her career journey.”
For her part, Heintz now considers Kahawatte part of her “personal board of directors,” and is following his example by conducting mock interviews for other Boeing/LGO hopefuls.
“One of the most remarkable qualities of the LGO community is how members are always willing to pay it forward, never hesitating to support someone they may not even know. Aside from everyone’s professional achievements, the spirit of unearned generosity is what makes LGO so special,” Heintz says.
It’s that word of mouth that inspired Roy Wildeman ‘05 when he was researching graduate programs. He enrolled at MIT Sloan, with no idea that LGO existed. This changed during his first week on campus, when he met several LGO fellows and heard professors praising the program.
“I saw firsthand what an amazing thing it was and how I wished I had known about it before, especially with my growing interests in supply chain, analytics, and sustainability, from all the testimonials and stories I was hearing of from other LGO students,” he says.
So Wildeman switched gears midway through his MBA degree to become an LGO student [an option no longer available].
“I remember dancing with joy when I learned I was accepted,” he recalls.
Today, he wants to spread that love. He referred Matt Gardner ‘26 for the program after meeting at a Dartmouth College alumni networking event. They chatted about career options; a few months later, Wildeman found himself contemplating a role at FormLabs, where Gardner worked. As Gardner offered insights about the company, Wildeman in turn sang the praises of LGO.
“Our connection is assuredly the most valuable connection I’ve ever made with anyone in a professional context, certainly for the advice he offered and his role in helping me get to LGO,” Gardner says.
The connection transcended mere networking to become a genuine friendship, where Wildeman went above and beyond to describe the strategies necessary for a successful application.
“One thing I continue to find with LGO alumni is their willingness to be personal in conversations, being true mentors to those who need help. During my first lunch with Roy, he gave me lots of goal-setting and storytelling advice broadly applicable in and out of the LGO context. I referred to that advice months and months later while crafting my application,” Gardner says.
McArthur, who helped his old friend Chatterji-Len into the LGO community, speaks for many LGO graduates when he describes how he lights up talking about the program.
“The things I choose to do, and opportunities I choose to go after, are highly influenced by the glow on someone’s face as they describe them to me. When someone talks candidly and passionately about an experience, that is the best endorsement you can find. I know I talk about LGO this way,” he says.
By Kara Baskin for MIT LGO
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