
Joseph Burch
Upon graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, I started my career as an electrical engineer working for a small engineering design and consulting firm. I have always embraced change, so the project cycle type of work offered at a consulting firm was very appealing to me. After two internships and two years full time with the company, I set off to find a larger company with a global footprint. My goal was to broaden both my career and my personal horizons by searching for jobs that took me outside of Ohio, where I was born and raised. Landing a spot as a sales engineer for a Fortune 500 company with a large international footprint took me down to Charlotte, NC and gave me the exposure to big business I was looking for. I toured, and worked closely with, our manufacturing operations all around the world – Mexico, USA, Canada, and various locations in China.
This slight step away from engineering and towards business proved to be the right move for me. I became increasingly interested with how things operated from the business side within a company. The books I read became centered around personal development and starting/growing a business, even attempting to take a product invention from an idea to a company as a side hustle. Blending this newfound interest in all things business with the enjoyment of the consulting experience, I concluded that I wanted to make a full career change into strategy consulting. A Ross MBA will not only teach me the additional skillsets needed to be successful in this industry but will also provide a strong network to connect with companies within this industry. I am ecstatic to be on this new journey at Ross and would be happy to talk with any prospective students considering Ross for their career advancement.