As we kick off another application season, we reached out to recent alumni to learn about their experience in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Master’s program and its impact on their careers.
We sat down with Anirudh “Rudy” Narula, a Business Systems Manager at Soleno Therapeutics, a small biopharmaceutical company in the pre-commercial phase, and a graduate of the MIT SCM Master’s Class of 2024. Prior to the program, Rudy spent over five years at HCL Software.
Rudy’s first manager in his professional career pushed him to explore his MIT Master’s, having gone through a program with MIT Sloan School 40 years prior and reflecting on its transformational experience that broadened his perspective. With this guidance, Rudy started the Supply Chain Management MicroMastersprogram before leaning further in and applying to the complete 10-month program. For Rudy, the SCM program opened doors for him to pursue new career opportunities in new fields—a pivot he was excited to explore.
We spoke with Rudy to get a closer look at his experience—what attracted him to the MIT Program, how the program set him up for success amid his desired career pivot, and what he hopes other students will get out of the program.
Why did the MIT Supply Chain Master’s program stand out to you?
The program stood out for a handful of reasons—the firstbeing the length, which also translates to cost. Unlike traditional programs, MIT’s program is ten months, not two years. I also liked how the program felt more technical and tactical than what you’d get from a general MBA. There was a focus on the new age of technology, like machine learning and AI, that was relevant to the world we live in today, which I liked. And lastly, the class sizes were great. I was part of a very large program for undergrads at U.C. Berkeley, and our graduating class was upwards of 8,000, 500 of which were in my economics major. It isn’t easy to feel genuinely connected with so many students. However, with the MIT program, we had around 40 residential and 40 blended students, so you could get to know people one-on-one, which was nice.
What was your favorite part of the program?
I loved how easy it was to connect with classmates, faculty, and PhD students teaching. Everyone was so welcoming and engaging. I thought I might come across people with big egos or an air of superiority around them, knowing how prestigious MIT is, but that could not have been farther from the truth!
“The program welcomes people with all backgrounds—for individuals without deep supply chain experience and with those eager to specialize in areas like reverse or last mile logistics.”
How did the program help you land your current position?
Not only does the MIT name carry weight and help get your foot in the door, but the program itself exposes you to classes and experiences that greatly help you navigate competitive interviews. During the interview process with Soleno Therapeutics, where I am now, I spoke with nearly a dozen team members. With each interview, I could talk and relate to many different things they were doing and the challenges they were navigating, even with my limited prior supply chain experience. In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve been able to draw on learnings from an MIT database class to help the supply chain team with process improvements—they were using Excel spreadsheets to manage inventory, and I was able to set up a database and front-end interface for their team.
What do you hope others will gain from the program?
Firstly, I think it’s important that new students come curious and open—you gain a lot out of the gate with this mindset. Secondly, I hope others walk away knowing they can take on any and all challenges, as I learned. Coming from different backgrounds, whether you have experience in Supply Chain or not, the program reinforces that you can take it on no matter what is put in front of you.
“There’s just so much to do by keeping an open mind and exploring new opportunities that will have an impact and let anyone get the most out of their experience as part of the community.”
If you’re inspired by Rudy’s experience and curious about what the program could do for your career, we’d love to hear from you!