Annual Letter 2024
Narrated by Executive Director, Kevin Oye
Dear TGI Community and Friends,
Whata year! My heart swells with gratitude for our students, alumni, industry partners, faculty, and staff who have come together to further TGI’s mission. From our roots starting 35 years ago with a part-time management program for working engineers, we’ve grown into a portfolio of centers, programs, and activities, collectively known as TGI, dedicated to developing leaders with the business acumen and technical skills combined with values-centered leadership needed to be high impact, empathetic change makers.
As technology advances and workforce demands shift, the world needs innovative leaders with deep humanity. TGI is well positioned to foster and develop these forward-thinking leaders at every stage of their academic and professional journeys.
Today, we offer:
• Pre-college summer programs in entrepreneurship and marketing
• Undergraduate minors in entrepreneurship, engineering management, and business leadership
• Graduate master’s programs in Innovation & Management, Engineering Management, and Technology Management & Leadership
• 70+ courses spanning entrepreneurship, creativity, business, strategy, new product discovery, leadership, marketing, sales, operations, analytics, finance, and ethics
In 2024, we grew to serve 127 pre-college students, 1,600+ undergraduates, and 160+ graduate students, leveraging our alumni in our classrooms and activities, highlighting them as strong role models for our next generation of TGI alumni. Across all our programming, we value curiosity, critical thinking, and creative innovation, combined with a bias to action and the humility and courage to seek truth with deep empathy for all.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together we can continue to grow our impact, bringing these life skills to all Tufts students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Developing leaders with the business acumen and technical skills combined with values-centered leadership needed to be high impact, empathetic change makers
Pre-College Programs
Three years ago, TGI launched our first pre-college program to bring entrepreneurship education to high school students. Now our pre-college programming has grown to also encompass a marketing bootcamp where students learn how to identify new opportunities and convince others to join their missions.
Our pre-college courses not only offer students an early taste of experiential learning at Tufts but also an opportunity to begin thinking about their personal journeys. At this pivotal juncture in their lives, as they choose where and what to study and what career to pursue, students can take the first steps along their journeys guided by the primary business skills and empathetic problem-solving mindset they gain through our pre-college programs.
Since finishing the program, several of the students have gone on to apply their skills in either internships or side jobs outside of school - they are a very talented bunch!
- Jen Sagawa, Lead Teacher for the
Marketing Pre-College Program
A
Mind for
Innovation:
Teaching an entrepreneurial mindset
The range of offerings at TGI creates multiple opportunities for student experiences starting at an introductory level, and then providing deeper and deeper experiences with each additional program a student may pursue. For Saumya Mehta, MSIM ‘24, this kind of cross-sectional journey has been transformational. After earning an undergraduate degree in Engineering Psychology at Tufts, Saumya looked to the MSIM program to tie together what he had learned during his undergraduate studies with practical skills in innovation and leadership to take the next step in his career.
What stood out to me most about the MSIM program was its focus on practicality. Every conversation with my professors felt grounded in real-world applications, and every course emphasized skills that we could take beyond the classroom. We weren’t just learning concepts; we were applying them.
Saumya had always been passionate about education and used the skills he gained during the MSIM program to launch Mosaic Minds, a creative education platform empowering high school students to embrace entrepreneurial thinking and actionbased learning through live, online programs. When the opportunity arose to work as Lead Teaching Assistant for the Derby Entrepreneurship Center’s Entrepreneurship Pre-College Program, he eagerly applied. His work helping pre-college students discover their own entrepreneurial mindset ended up being just as impactful for him, leading to the next evolution in Mosaic Minds.
During the pre-college program, I saw firsthand the immense potential that high school students have when they’re given the right tools, support, and freedom to explore their interests. I realized that many of these students had never experienced project-based, real-world learning before, and yet when they were given the chance, they flourished. It reinforced what I’ve always believed: education should be less about theory and more about handson, experiential learning that encourages curiosity and creative problem-solving.
undergraduaTe minors
At the undergraduate level, through our courses and minors in entrepreneurship, engineering management, and business leadership and management, we enable broad exploration across all aspects of the business cycle, from startup to scale-up to operating at scale. Our undergraduate offerings give students opportunities to discover the multiple pathways where they may apply their talents. These minors complement the rich portfolio of academic majors offered by the university in the arts, sciences, and engineering. With their practical orientation taught by faculty with extensive industry experience, TGI’s experiential undergraduate courses enable all undergraduates to increase their business acumen, their self-awareness and leadership skills, and their confidence and agency to adopt an action-oriented approach to their professional lives.
This year, TGI also began offering the Leadership & Management Minor alongside our existing Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship for Social Impact, and Engineering Management Minors to reach more students with leadership skills and business acumen training. In 2024, the Entrepreneurship Minor continued to be the most popular minor on campus. In partnership with Tisch College, we offer the Entrepreneurship in Social Impact Minor for students who are passionate about solving societal problems in civic life through social and political engagement. Through these multiple undergraduate academic programs, TGI aspires to enable all its graduates to pursue high impact employment opportunities that advance their social mobility.
TGI Undergraduate Programs
For students who...
• Want to build a growth mindset that will empower them throughout their career
• Gain business skills applicable across a wide range of industries and professional pursuits
• Discover their profound purpose while embracing diverse perspectives
A student who envisions...
Entering a career in technology and growing into a leadership role at their organization
Starting a business venture or building a career supported by entrepreneurial skills
Working for the common good of society and solving local and global challenges
Leading teams in a variety of industries to solve complex problems
Should consider... Engineering Management Minor Entrepreneurship Minor Entrepreneurship for Social Impact Minor Leadership and Management Minor
2023 - 2024 UndergradUate in nUmbers
1,600+
Total Undergraduate Enrollments
126 Students Graduated with Minor
35 Faculty Members
I believe that empowerment and collaboration essential to a team’s success, and thanks Management minor, I have gained the tools type of environment wherever I go, starting
- Carlos Pulido Escalante, E25
collaboration are thanks to the Engineering tools to cultivate this starting with a smile.
graduaTe Programs
Our graduate programs enable early and mid-career professionals to expand from individual contributor to management and leadership roles by developing their business acumen alongside analytical, innovation, and leadership skills across all phases of a business, from startup to scale-up, for profit or nonprofit. Today, TGI offers programs for both full-time working professionals as well as full-time graduate students in engineering and technology management and leadership, as well as a novel program for aspiring startup and corporate innovators.
In Fall 2023, we welcomed our largest Innovation & Management cohort as 39 new students joined our community. We introduced full-time, on-campus options for our Engineering Management and Technology Management & Leadership degrees. We also expanded our popular intensive weekend immersive classes, where students from all our programs gather in-person from Friday through Sunday to dig deep into a topical area. Together, TGI granted 67 master’s degrees in 2024.
My graduate classes have allowed me to think deeply about who I am, what matters to me, and what type of an impact I can have on my teams and company at large.
- Andrea Webb, MSEM ‘24 Distinguished Scientist, Draper
TGI Graduate Programs
For students who...
• Want to advance their career and drive innovation and change that matters
• Develop deep skills in complex problem-solving with business acumen
• Lead in rapidly-changing industries with confidence and insight
A student who envisions...
Launching a startup or leading new product innovation in an existing organization
Advancing their career beyond an individual contributor to lead others in scaling technology and developments
Advancing their career into leadership roles in areas beyond engineering and development Should
MS in Innovation & Management
MS in Engineering Management
MS in Technology Management & Leadership
2023
- 2024 gradUate in
159 Students Enrolled in Graduate Programs
67 Students Graduated with MS Degrees
nUmbers
26 Faculty Members
Since earning my BS in Computer Science, I’ve worked with the U.S federal government. While I could have continued advancing in my career without a degree, I wanted a change of pace and the chance to learn new skills in areas I’m less familiar with. Hitting the ‘reset’ button and returning to school has been a refreshing experience.
The Master of Science in Technology Management and Leadership (MSTML) degree is designed to meet the increasing demand for change makers who often have undergraduate degrees in computer science or mathematics or other non-engineering majors and aspire to move into management and leadership roles. Jim Stiegler, MSTML ‘24, came to TGI to become just that: a purpose-driven leader who built upon his technical background with new skills in business, analytics, and leadership. He will be our first MSTML graduate, completing his degree by the end of 2024.
I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful to have found TGI’s MSTML program. It has been intellectually challenging yet personally rewarding, equipping me with the tools and resources to lead future organizations in driving innovative technological solutions. The program has also provided me with a remarkable networking platform that I didn’t have before, connecting me with exceptional professionals from various industries who bring diverse experiences and knowledge. Whatever the future holds, the MSTML program has enhanced my critical thinking, technical expertise, and leadership skills; positioning me for professional excellence.
CreaTing a broad CommuniTy
Through Centers and Activities
The Derby Entrepreneurship Center (DEC) was established in 2021 with a gift from Jack and Jan Derby, bringing over 20 years of entrepreneurship education to a new level. Today, DEC brings together students and professionals from across Tufts and beyond with both academic programs and co-curricular activities that touch thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
I believe the skills I learned taking entrepreneurship classes are the most applicable to the world. Most notably, communication skills, team collaboration, and presentation skills.
- Edward Iuteri, A24, ENT Minor
Center HigHligHts
Entrepreneurial Speaker Series
The Derby Entrepreneurship Center (DEC) hosts speaker events featuring entrepreneurs, investors, and tought leaders. In 2024, DEC hosted over ten speakers, including prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Cummings, A58, H06, J97P, M97P, and Stuart Weitzman, a world-renowned American shoe designer.
Consumer Product Fair
New in 2024, the Consumer Product Fair allows the Tufts community to learn about retail businesses that Tufts students, faculty, staff, and alumni are building. The fair gives the community a chance to engage and support their peers and ventures.
Tufts Venture Accelerator
The Tufts Venture Accelerator is a full-time, 10week summer venture accelerator that provides structure, accountability, education experiences, and funding to help Tufts entrepreneurs make rapid progress on their ventures. In 2024 there were 10 teams building new ventrues in healthcare, consumer internet, social enterprises in emerging markets, and more.
Derby Entrepreneurship Center Receives
$1 Million Grant from Cummings Foundation
TGI is pleased to announce that the Derby Entrepreneurship Center received a 10-year, $1 million sustaining grant from Cummings Foundation’s $30 Million Grant Program. This grant significantly expands the Center’s ability to invest in long term programming. We are grateful to the Cummings Foundation for their support.
In 2023, a gift from Chuck Auster, A73, established the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research (Auster Center). With the mission to foster transdisciplinary applied research across the university, the Auster Center brings together faculty and students from multiple disciplines to tackle tough societal challenges. In the past year, the Auster Center held several workshops, and looks forward to welcoming its inaugural director, Filip Čučkov, in January 2025.
Filip ČuČkov Appointed director oF Auster center For Applied innovAtion reseArch
Dr. Filip Čučkov is a seasoned academic, engineer, and leader who comes to Tufts with a wealth of experience in engineering education, research, and innovation in robotics, automation, and cyber-physical systems. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a member of the American Society of Engineering Education, and a member of the Project Management Institute, certified as a Project Management Professional. Before joining Tufts, Dr. Čučkov was a faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering first at his alma mater, Old Dominion University, then at UMass Boston and Wentworth Institute of Technology, where he chaired the Computer Engineering programs, and last at Northeastern University’s Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security where he served as a Senior Research Engineer and Director of Expeditionary Cyber and Unmanned Autonomous Systems research programs.
A View from the Front Line:
U.S. Ambassador to Finland Speaks at Tufts
The Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research at Tufts hosted its inaugural speaker event, bringing Douglas Hickey, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Finland, to speak on Finland’s security challenges, the future of innovation, and insights he has gained as Ambassador. This event was held in collaboration with the Fletcher School at Tufts.
“We were thrilled to collaborate with Fletcher in hosting Ambassador Hickey at Tufts’ campus,” shared Chuck Auster, Founder of the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research. “His insightful analysis of a major global issue provided a unique learning opportunity for our community. A special thanks to Monica Toft and Rockford Weitz for enriching the conversation with their targeted observations.”
engaging alumni
Across Our Programs
Given how rapidly the world is evolving, our alumni network — encompassing not only graduates of our programs but also Tufts alumni interested in leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business management — plays a critical role in TGI’s programs. By returning to Tufts to join fireside chats and panels, mentor and coach, join our advisory boards, host visits to their companies, and even join our teaching team, our alumni serve as role models who generously open their networks and knowledge to both our current students and other alumni. Our alumni are essential in building a rich community that all can leverage for advice, internships, and future career growth. With their wealth of experience and knowledge, our alumni community is the heart of the TGI community, demonstrating for our current students how the skills and mindsets they are learning can translate into high impact in the world, doing good, while doing well.
Alumni giving BACk
Class Visits & Workshops
Sarah Drury, MSIM ’17, returned to the MSIM program to deliver a workshop on Customer Research, leveraging her experiences as the Senior Manager of User Research at DraftKings.
Innovator’s Mindset Trips
As Co-Founder of ZwitterCo, Alex Rappaport, MSIM ’19, shared his inspiring story with our students about launching and scaling his tech startup, ZwitterCo. ZwitterCo has become a global producer of cutting-edge industrial wastewater filtration products, leveraging technology developed at Tufts School of Engineering by Professor Ayse Asatekin.
Judging Competitions
Allison Perkel, E93, EG03, draws on her experience as head of all software at Amazon Blink to serve as a frequent judge and coach in our events and classes. She also contributes her expertise as a member of TGI’s Industry Advisory Council.
Executive in Residence
Sandy Rosenberg, A90, is a Lecturer on the MS in Innovation & Management teaching team and Executive in Resident at TGI. Sandy is a graduate of Tufts University and has chosen to spend many hours giving back by helping our students hone their passions for innovation and help them flourish.
[Working with sandy] was a transformative experience. His coaching guided me through the job market while introducing me to remarkable industry professionals through his extensive network. With his encouragement, I successfully received the job offer. I will always be grateful for the community I’ve built through the MSIM program, which continues to inspire and support my journey.
- Helin Alagoz, MSIM ‘23
Technical Sales Specialist, Artisan Industries Inc.
As someone who went through the MSIM social venture, I hope to leverage opportunities bridge their academic knowledge with practical social innovation, and give back to the TGI
- Amanda Wang, MSIM ‘19 Co-Founder & CEO, Potencia
MSIM program to launch a opportunities to help my peers practical experience, spark TGI community.
suPPorTing The Tgi CommuniTy
With Exceptional Faculty & Staff
The best teachers for TGI’s practical orientation are those who have lived through the fog of the real world and dealt with the challenges of developing strategies and making decisions with incomplete or ambiguous data, often involving people and personalities. Rather than knowing and telling, our faculty challenge our students with Socratic questions, encouraging them to struggle and even fail as they experiment, test, and discover the best solutions, building their resilience and confidence to tackle real world challenges. All of our 55 lecturers and professors of the practice have extensive professional experience in diverse fields, supported by a dedicated team of staff who work hard contributing to the recruitment, operations, and delivery of all our academic and co-curricular programming.
From Alumna to Faculty:
Jen Braggin’s Story
I learned a lot about effective leadership through the msem, and I try to use those lessons and learn from them everyday. I also learned how hard it is to be effective without continuous learning and selfreflection, and we were given ample opportunities to do that as part of the program.
Jen Braggin, MSEM ‘14 and now Senior Lecturer at TGI, is a wonderful example of a TGI alumna who was inspired by her experiences at Tufts and returned to teach part-time in our undergraduate Engineering Management Program, bringing into the classroom her leadership and management experiences at Draper Laboratory, ZEISS Microscopy, and Entegris. Having a Director of Technology teaching the undergraduate class on Engineering Leadership brings real world perspective to our students, preparing them with practical knowledge they can use right away not only in their own group projects while at Tufts, but also as they step out into the world.
I jumped at the chance to contribute to Tufts as a lecturer, as I had found my experience here as a student so valuable. What I enjoy most about teaching is what I learn from students. I work with a diverse pool of students every semester, and they teach me something new all the time, and inspire me to try new things.
aCknowledgmenTs
Our front line team of advisors, faculty, and staff
Core Team
Executive Director, Tufts Gordon Institute
Kevin Oye
Executive Director, Tufts Gordon Institute; Director, MSIM Program; Professor of the Practice
Members of the Core Team
Elaine Chen Director, Derby Entrepreneurship Center; Cummings Family Professor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship
Amy Hirschfeld Distinguished Senior Lecturer
Samuel Liggero
Academic Director, MSEM & MSTML Programs; Professor of the Practice
Jill Parlee Director, Programs & Operations
Jane Seminara Senior Lecturer
Maura Vogel Director of Recruitment & Strategic Partnerships
Board of Advisors (Derby Entrepreneurship Center)
Chairman of the Board
Chuck Auster Founder & Partner, Runtide Capital
Members of the Board
Kofi Asante VP of Business Development, Arc
Rachel Blumenthal Cofounder and Entrepreneur, Advisor & Angel Investor
Ben Carson Jr. Cofounder and Partner, Fvlcrum Funds
Karen Cassel President and CEO, MedicAlert
John Cuming Former President, Cuming Microwave Corporation
Jack Derby Professor of the Practice, Derby Entrepreneurship Center; CEO, Derby Management
Mike Doyle CEO, Predict Health, Inc.
Christine Dunn Head of External Communications, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Pamela Goldberg
Former President and CEO, MDC; CEO, Goldberg HealthTech Advisors; Member, Executive Committee; Chair, Finance & Fundraising Committee
Paul Halpern Chief Marketing Officer, JP Morgan Wealth
Kim Hartman
Owner, KH Designers; Cofounder, Mask Ready
Steve Herrod Partner, Juxtapose
David Jen
Managing Director - Finance and Corporate Development, X, The Moonshot Factory
Josh Kapelman
EVP and MD, Hilldun Corporation; Chair, Development and Governance Committee
Nancy Karp
MP of Development and Operations, Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design
Jordon Kivelstadt
Managing Partner, Bohemian Highway Travel Co.; Proprietor, Bloom Carneros; Founder & Proprietor, Kivelstadt Cellars; Managing Director, TUBS - Wins and Spirits by the glass
Sarah Kugelman
Founder, AllGolden Beauty, The Pink Factor, skyn ICELAND & gloss.com
Steve McDermid
Managing Director, Emerson Collective
Andy Merken
Shareholder, Polsinelli
Kenny Nova
Founder & Investor, Stat Scientific
Catherine Popper
Early Stage Investor, Advisor and Board Director, Launchpad Venture Group
Steve Remondi
Founder & CEO, Xphera Biosciences
Peter Rothschild Partner, East Wind Advisors; Managing Member, Daroth Capital
Felice Shapiro
Founder and Publisher, Better After 50 (BA50)
Forrest Snowden Chairman and CEO, Aria Gems
Omer Trajman Founder, AskFora
Tracy Wang
Strategic Advisor for Nonprofit Executives
Alex Wulkan Cofounder and COO, Estateably
Earle Yaffa
Former MD, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meager & Flom LLC
Industry Advisory Council (TGI)
Mert Aktar
Chief Executive Officer, Receptive Bio
Syra Arif Director, AMS Solution Consulting
Marta Asack
Senior Vice President of Home and Distribution, North America, Schneider Electric
Brett Boghigian
Chief Technology Officer, StealthCo & Owner, Rosewood Consulting LLC
Michal Cenkl
Director of Innovation and Experimentation, The MITRE Corporation
Jeffrey D’Amelia
Managing Director, The MITRE Corporation
Heather Gaylord Head of the Transformation Management Office, Takeda
Chris George Vice President of Manufacturing, Axcelis Technologies
Tony Kourepenis Principal Director of Engineering, Draper
Kathrin Knauf Chief Technology Officer, LenioBio
Jim Lawton COO Walmart Advanced Systems & Robotics, Group Director of Automation Operations
Carl Long Global Quality Director, Cabot Corporation
Matt Lyman Vice President of Engineering, Toast
Mark Martin
Co-Founder & General Partner, Cybernetix Ventures
Azin Nezami Senior Director, Vertez Pharmaceuticals
Allison Perkel
Head of Software and Firmware Development at Blink, Amazon
Faculty
Diane Roberts Director of Engineering, EnergySage
Forrest Roush Director, External (Corporate) Business Development and Strategy Execution, Corning Life Sciences
Richard Russell Senior Vice President, STR
Mihir Shah Venture Partner, F-Prime Captial
David Sullivan Vice President, Global Vaccines, Biotech, & Sterile Injectable Manufacturing Sciences & Technology, Pfizer
Nick Svencer General Manager and Board Member, Sealonix
Robert Treiber II Co-Founder and President, Boston Engineering
Lisa Wyman Chief Technical Operations Officer, Generate: Biomedicines
Frank Apeseche Professor of the Practice
Moneer Azzam Lecturer Bennett Baldwin Lecturer
Mark Bamford Lecturer
George Blount Lecturer
Jennifer Braggin Senior Lecturer
Jerome Brightman Senior Lecturer
Gerald Brown Senior Lecturer
Tim Buntel Lecturer
Elaine Chen Director, Derby Entrepreneurship Center; Cummings Family Professor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship
Eli Cushner Lecturer
Jack Derby Professor of the Practice, Derby Entrepreneurship Center; CEO, Derby Management
Chris Di Fronzo Lecturer
Jimmy Edgerton Lecturer
Phillip Ellison Lecturer
Gavin Finn Professor of the Practice
Luke Fraser Lecturer
Partha Ghosh Professor of the Practice
Betsy Goodrich Lecturer
Amir Alexander Hasson Lecturer
Warren Hilton Lecturer
Amy Hirschfeld Distinguished Senior Lecturer
John Jacobsen Lecturer
Paul Klein Lecturer
Stacy Lennon Senior Lecturer
Samuel Liggero Academic Director, MSEM & MSTML Programs; Professor of the Practice
Hannah Lippe Lecturer
Beth McCarthy Senior Lecturer
David Medeiros Lecturer
Kyle Monahan Lecturer
Jim Nash Lecturer
Jayne Nucete Lecturer
Andy O'Brien Lecturer
Alex Ocampo Lecturer
Chimuanya Okoro Lecturer
Kevin Oye Executive Director, Tufts Gordon Institute; Director, MSIM Program; Professor of the Practice
Usha Pasi Lecturer
Debra Reich Lecturer
Kendall Reiss Professor of the Practice
Sandy Rosenberg Executive in Residence, Lecturer
Marci Sapers Lecturer
Jane Seminara Senior Lecturer
Malakia Silcott Lecturer
Michelle Tempesta Lecturer Will Trevor Lecturer
Thomas Van de Velde Lecturer
Mary Viola Professor of the Practice Emerita
Monica Pheifer Lecturer
Kishore Pochampally Senior Lecturer
Josef Volman Lecturer
Tina Weber Senior Lecturer
Kate Weiler Lecturer
Abbott Weiss Lecturer
Idicula Mathew
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Derby Entrepreneurship Center
Annika Murphy Program Manager
Josh Wiesman Professor of the Practice
Julianne Zimmerman Lecturer
Staff
Teresa Aloi Program Coordinator
Cody Damon Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Derby Entrepreneurship Center
Carol Denning Assistant Director, Derby Entrepreneurship Center
Morgan Dent Marketing & Communications Specialist
MaryAnn DiRamio Senior Administrative Assistant
Benjamin Friedman Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist
Marcus Johnson-Smith Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Derby Entrepreneurship Center
Brianne Odom Senior Assistant Director, Admissions
With all your help, the year ahead will be bright. Our expanding undergraduate and graduate programming will enable more Tufts graduates to better prepare for their professional roles after Tufts, increasing their social mobility by developing through experiential learning practical leadership skills and business acumen, entrepreneurial thinking, and deep empathy for all. Our Auster Center programing will accelerate the translation of research to societal impact, while also building deeper understanding of how to accelerate and make repeatable applied innovation . Together, we can broaden our reach and impact, helping all at Tufts to drive meaningful change and create a better world.
My thanks to all our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and industry partners who have helped us to date, I look forward to continuing to collaborate with all of you as we build our worldwide community of transformative leaders, driven by purpose and heart.
With deep gratitude, Kevin Oye
