Here are some testimonials from College of Business students. They offer a real-life look at why you should consider majoring in Management Information Systems.

Current Students

Taylor McDermott, recent graduate of the Management Information Systems (MIS) program, talks about the amazing career choices she has being an MIS major.  From Forsyth, Montana (population 1,777), she did a fully-paid internship between her junior and senior year with global technology consulting firm KPMG in San Diego, but decided to stay in Missoula and become a technology strategy consultant with ATG Missoula, a local-technology consulting firm which is part of the Cognizant global tech consulting group.  In just 8 years, ATG Missoula has hired over 100 UM graduates and continues to grow rapidly.  This video was created by the Missoula Economic Partnership.

Samantha Cannon

“I began by going to table times, getting involved with the Montana Information Systems Association (MISA), and going to socials. It was through these events I learned about the local consulting firm ATG and their internship program. I was still only a sophomore at this time and did not think I had much of a chance in getting an internship with ATG, seeing as there were over 100 applicants, but I figured it was worth a shot. I interviewed, and shortly after I was thrilled to learn I was one of three interns chosen for the summer program.

After an amazing summer with ATG, my decision to pursue a career in consulting was solidified. This was an amazing experience, but I also learned that I didn’t want to stay in Missoula after college. This is when I set my sites on the ‘Big Four.’ Once fall semester of my junior year started, recruiting was in full swing. It was one event after another, but my efforts did not go unnoticed. I was invited to fly down to LA to interview for KPMG. A full 24 hours had not even gone by when I received a call the next day with an offer. I immediately accepted!”

Reannon Crider

“When I switched my major to MIS, I could not have been more positive I made the right choice. [...] I continuously had the desire to learn more, even outside of the classroom, and the MIS faculty really facilitated that and have had a big impact on my education by answering my questions outside of office hours, helping me with my resume during the summer, and putting me in touch with people out in the community for some of my coursework.

I also joined the Montana Information Systems Association (MISA) student group, built relationships with my peers and professors, and learned the importance of networking.  I’ve attended meetings with the Hellgate Venture Network here in Missoula, reached out to speakers from lectures, contacted employers via LinkedIn, and engaged in the opportunities provided by MISA. This type of networking resulted in invitation to a luncheon with Congressman Steve Daines.”

Spencer Sheehan

"Going into college, my one goal was to graduate with a degree in accounting. After taking Introduction to Management Information Systems, that plan rapidly changed. I decided to dual major in both MIS and accounting, which is by far one of the best choices I have ever made in my life. 

Not only do MIS majors tend to make some of the highest salaries coming out of college, but working as an IT consultant comes with more creative opportunities to help solve businesses' problems using technology. During my internship with PwC in Silicon Valley, I was thrilled to be able to interact with professionals at major tech companies, such as Twitter. 

MIS majors not only understand the technological part of business but the human aspect as well. Regardless of your goals, if you like technology and business, this is the major for you. Whether your end-goal is to become a consultant, a CIO, computer programmer/developer, marketer, accountant, lawyer, or entrepreneur, this major will change your life. Consider majoring or double majoring in MIS. You won't ever regret the job prospects and learning from our world-class faculty." 

Graduates

Tim Barsotti ('10)

"Even if you don't love technology, the amount of knowledge I gained of business was tremendous! I know a lot about accounting, finance, management, and marketing. I also know how the information flows through all of these departments. This is great, because I work with all of those different departments on a day to day basis. I can't imagine having studied any other major."

Tanner Beree ('11)

"The MIS department has prepared and enabled me to secure a full-time job after graduation. I originally chose the program due to its extensive use and application in today's job market. Through Management Information Systems, I've learned about new technologies, how to manage teams, how to work in groups, and how to research."

Nicole Dowson ('09)

"All the other consultants are from USC, Stanford, and Notre Dame, but the UM grads are easily better because of what we learn in school." On her summer working with an IS consulting firm in Los Angeles, CA.

Greg Heidner ('13)

"When I changed my major to Management Information Systems, I could never have imagined I would end up where I am today. In two short years, I landed a great summer consulting internship with KPMG where I was able to work for a Fortune 500 client before I even graduated college. After my internship, I accepted both a full-time offer with the firm and a role back in Missoula as their on-campus representative.

Looking back on the last four years, the best advice I could give students is to start early, don’t be afraid to fail, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t wait around for your dream job to drop into your lap; it simply won’t. If you want something, go out and get it! If you apply for a position and aren’t selected, learn from the experience and make yourself better for your next interview. Finally, make connections and nurture them. COB works hard to give students the opportunity to work on career development early and often. Take advantage of it! At UM, we take care of our own; it’s one of the reasons this place is so special. Our alumni are everywhere, and if you reach out to them for advice about a company that they have experience with, they are generally happy to help a fellow Griz.

I wouldn’t trade my time at UM for any other institution in the country. The career development, coursework, and most importantly the people have prepared me for the next step in my career, and I couldn’t be more excited to take it.”

Taylor Hersom ('13)

“Before taking courses in Management Information Systems, I really had no idea where I was going in life.  After taking both MIS 270 and Intro to Consulting with Prof. Firth, I became fascinated with the concept of consulting from a technology standpoint and immediately knew that this career path was perfect for me. 

Not two weeks into the class, I began applying for consulting positions.  When spring came around, the recruiters remembered things about me from the emails and noted my perseverance.  In each interview, I sold myself based on my determination and honesty.  I told each interviewer how I could add value to the company and how important my accomplishments were in molding me into the candidate sitting across from them.  In the end, I have had seven employment offers at a wide array of companies, including two ‘Big Four’ firms. 

The entire experience has been so exciting, and my determination led me to success:  I accepted an internship opportunity with Fast Enterprises in Denver, Colorado!  If I had stopped trying after that first unsuccessful semester, I would have never received so many outstanding offers.  I looked at each failure simply as another opportunity to surpass myself.”

Kristin Mickey ('14)

“I like to say that I was humbled by the real world before I made the decision to go back to school as a non-traditional student. I was lucky enough to have been employed in the past, but the low-paying jobs I was qualified for and had worked in for over four years did nothing to satisfy my desire to be challenged or successful. With two young kids and a family to help support, I knew that earning a degree would help to get me a job but was no guarantee that I would be able to obtain a good job that would enable me to pay back the student loans.

Shortly after the conclusion of the term, my heart was set and I made the official decision to become an official MIS major. From there, I scrubbed up my resume and LinkedIn profiles and started reaching out to as many people at ATG as I could. After scouring my contacts for people to network with, I was able to land a phone interview in January of 2013, then a panel interview in February. With every person I spoke to, my excitement grew along with my motivation to work at ATG. Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled when I got the call in late February offering me a part-time position at ATG’s Missoula Solutions Center. For the first time in years, I could say with all confidence that I knew I had made the right decisions and that I was proud of where I was headed."

Kristin Parks ('14)

“As a senior studying my last semester in Management Information Systems, it is still surreal to me that I already have a job offer after I graduate. By interning for KPMG in IT Advisory this past summer in San Francisco, I have gained the knowledge and experience to let me hit the ground running when I start full-time in July. I have met many great people from all over the world to expand my network and give me a diverse and well-rounded set of friends and colleagues. I have tasted unbelievable food from the ocean, traveled through beautiful country, and sat in on stimulating client meetings. This internship not only strengthened my way of thinking, it also showed me an enriched lifestyle beyond what I expected out of a career.

Many of my peers have worried about their job search after they graduate but really the time to be proactive is now. By utilizing the business school opportunities through workshops, student clubs, and professors, I have landed a great job with an excellent company. The College of Business has brought many reputable firms to our campus for recruiting such as Microsoft, the Big Four firms, Disney, and many more. It is up to us as students to then take these resources and create a bright future for ourselves. I feel very satisfied with the path I have chosen with KPMG, and I encourage others to pursue these opportunities as well.”

Joshua Sanders ('12)

"I chose to pursue a career working with FAST Enterprises, and I have never looked back. Every day, I apply the skills I learned at the UM, from project management, to consulting, to accounting and yes, even programming. I have been working for the company for three months now and it has been amazing. I just returned home from a four day trip to Arizona where FAST brought the entire company together for an Annual General Meeting. While I was there I found [UM alumna] Maggie Gleason and told her that she, like many others, had a hand in my journey.

I get up every day and go to an amazing job, working with great people and applying the knowledge I acquired during college to make a difference in the world. Thinking back, I am very grateful to have come through such a quality school, with teachers who genuinely care about you, and dedicate their lives to giving you the tools you need to succeed after you receive your diploma. I was asked to write about my journey to FAST Enterprises. In writing this, it is ever more apparent to me that the journey is not over; graduation is not the end, it is only the end of the beginning."

Savanna Scotson ('13)

"I homed in on KPMG of Nashville, Tennessee, due to the location and because it is one of the largest professional services companies in the world and one of the 'Big Four' accounting firms. I began reaching out to several connections, including a UM alum located in Atlanta, Georgia. After my resume was passed on to Nashville from both sides of the United States by these connections I had established—a sort of happy accident—the Nashville office was intrigued and wanted to meet the determined Montana girl they kept hearing about. I had my first interview over the phone and was told that they were flying me out that next week.

In less than 24 hours, I arrived in Nashville, had an interview, ate lunch and dinner, and was back on a flight to Montana. That next afternoon I received an offer for the summer internship with KPMG. What I learned from this process is that if you want something badly enough, let your personality shine through, play up your strengths, get creative, and, most importantly, do not be afraid to reach out to others for help."

Luke Smith ('10)

"MIS exposes you to the methods used for leveraging technology to improve business processes. In addition, the business courses will give you a solid background in understanding the operations in different business departments, and will help you progress through the ranks at a business. MIS is very broad, so finding a more narrow focus is crucial to your success."