The Tepper School’s Lasting Impact on Two MBA Alumni

Some students come to the Tepper School of Business to accelerate their careers. Others discover entirely new paths. For Ryan and Chandler Stroud (both MBA ‘11) the experience brought both, as well as a lifelong partnership.

The couple met while pursuing their MBAs at the Tepper School. Their first date was at the William Penn Tavern in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood. Many evenings were spent at local favorites such as Point Brugge and Bites and Brews, before they became engaged in Pittsburgh and then moved to New York City. Since then, their careers have flourished, and their family has grown with the addition of two children.

Looking back, Ryan reflected on what drew him from Texas to Carnegie Mellon.

“I was really intrigued by the Tepper School because of its analytics platform and the strength of its faculty. It was also the best school that let me in,” he joked. “But the most valuable thing I took away was the relationships. I still have great friends from the Tepper School and, of course, I met my wife there.”

For Chandler, the program was an intentional leap outside of her comfort zone.

“I was terrible at math and analytics, but my father always told me to focus on my weaknesses, because your strengths will remain your strengths,” she said. “I knew it would help me become a more strategic, critical thinker. And it did.”

After graduation, Ryan spent a decade as an investment banker on Wall Street before joining Marsh McLennan, where he now helps lead corporate development and merger and acquisition strategy for the United States business. Chandler built a career in brand management and marketing, including roles at WebMD, Heinz, Danone North America, American Express, and Resy. She now runs The Healing Heroes, producing content and hosting a podcast.

Both credit the Tepper School with shaping not only their skill sets, but also their approach to problem solving and collaboration.

“I learned I cannot do it all by myself,” Ryan said. “You need a team. There were so many talented people at the Tepper School who were better than me at certain things, and I learned a lot from them.”

Chandler echoed that sentiment, recalling the tight knit support that defined her experience.

“Even before classes started, during Basecamp, I remember a classmate holding office hours to help others with the material. It was not competitive. Everyone wanted to see each other succeed. That spirit carried through my entire two years.”

Looking back, their advice to current and future Tepper School students is to embrace discomfort.

“Do the thing that makes you the most uncomfortable,” Chandler said. “These two years are such an opportunity to grow and test yourself.”

Ryan added, “Think of it as running experiments. The downside is minimal and the upside can be massive. You can try a new class or introduce yourself to someone you do not know. And in our case, it worked out very well. We found each other.”

Their time at the Tepper School blended professional growth with personal development, helping them learn new skills while adapting to a new city and community. That experience continues to serve them in both career and life. The Tepper School remains a source of pride for the pair, offering a strong and respected brand that alumni can help strengthen by representing it well in their professional and personal lives.