By the time Kevin Thwala \u201921 MBA enrolled at Montclair, he had completed a computer engineering undergraduate degree at Manhattan University and was already on his way to a successful career as a software engineer for a multinational technology company. \u201cIt is interesting project-based work,\u201d he explains. \u201cTeams are formed to fulfill specific software development contracts. As each project is completed, teams are disbanded and re-formed to tackle new assignments.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoyed developing code, and I loved the variety and changing nature of project-based work,\u201d he says. \u201cBut as my experience as a team member grew, so did my curiosity about other aspects of project-based work. I wanted to go beyond engineering, and to learn about the accounting, project management, business innovation, strategic human resource management, operations & supply chain management, emerging trends in global markets, sustainability & corporate responsibility and communications required to make projects successful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of the many MBA programs that promised a short commute, Montclair stood out. \u201cThe University definitely has good brand recognition,\u201d he says, \u201cand the MBA program at the Feliciano School of Business offered the breadth of courses I wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thwala welcomed the opportunities Montclair offered to take a broader view of how a project works. \u201cThe program taught me how to assess risk & opportunity, manage budget, scope, schedule, staffing and how to motivate a team toward a shared vision,\u201d he says. \u201cI also learned the fundamentals of organizational behavior, new product development as well as how to bring value to the customer and how to ensure your team\u2019s competitive advantage.\u201d Embodying a servant leadership approach, he strives to be the change he\u2019d like to see.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have especially benefited from the business communications courses I took,\u201d Thwala notes. \u201cAs a result, I am a more effective liaison between different internal audiences, able to translate project goals to team members and successfully interpreting technical information for colleagues in other departments whose background isn\u2019t in software development.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Montclair MBA broadened Thwala\u2019s perspective in other ways as well. \u201cI come from an engineering background,\u201d he points out. \u201cMy classmates represented a variety of industries, from finance, retail\/sales, broadcast media, real estate\/construction, to medicine. I learned a lot from them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thwala further solidified his credentials by earning Project Management Professional\u00ae certification and he maintains his professional network through organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers and BEYA \u2013 Black Engineer of the Year. His volunteer resume is equally impressive, including having served in the past with the New York Urban League Young Professionals, One Hundred Black Men, United Way of Passaic County, and Toastmasters (in a local leadership capacity). Last December he completed serving a 3-year term on the board of CUMAC, an organization dedicated to alleviating hunger, and remains involved as a volunteer since 2017. As a mentor for Students 2 Science, a New Jersey-based academic enrichment program, Thwala supports youth who are interested in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) careers. Paying it forward as did the leaders who inspired him, the giants he stands on the shoulders of and his ancestors who paved the way. He believes he has a moral responsibility to be of service out of gratitude, and feels blessed to be a blessing. A candle loses nothing by lighting another.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach one, teach one,\u201d Thwala says, quoting Denzel Washington. \u201cIt is a philosophy that I have embraced since I played varsity soccer in high school. I felt, early on, that it isn\u2019t enough to try to shine just for myself, but to bring light to the collective.\u201d As the African proverb tells us, \u201cIf you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.\u201d He believes it takes a village and each one plays a role.<\/p>\n
Now, Thwala is bringing his light back to the University as a new member of the Black Alumni Advisory Council (BAAC) and as a contributor to Montclair\u2019s leadership donor society, The President\u2019s Club, through BAAC\u2019s Join Me With $83 campaign. The campaign encourages donors to reach the leadership level with a recurring gift of $83.34 per month to the BAAC Initiatives Fund, which provides resources for scholarships, book funds and other areas to support the success of Montclair students.<\/p>\n
He is looking forward to sharing his experience with students, especially those who have not yet decided on a major. \u201cI can introduce students to career options in project management and, if possible, steer them toward opportunities,\u201d he says. \u201cAs alumni, we have access to so many things that can benefit students.\u201d As he humbly empowers the next generation, Thwala strives to embody the Arthur Ashe quote each day: \u201cStart where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Montclair\u2019s MBA program helped Kevin Thwala \u201921 MBA advance his career from software engineer to project manager. As a new member of the Black Alumni Advisory Council (that he supports with recurring giving), and member of the Recent Alumni Network \u2013 Thwala hopes to inspire and lift up the aspirations of the next generation of Montclair students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":443,"featured_media":216237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-216236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-77_alumni-spotlight"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/443"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216236"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":216243,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216236\/revisions\/216243"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/216237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}