05-08-2025
By the time Rama Deshpande finished her undergraduate degree in computer science at Purdue University, she had developed a strong foundation in software engineering — coding skills honed in classrooms and internships. But as she looked ahead to her future in the hyper-competitive tech world, she realized that technical skills alone wouldn’t be enough to set her apart.
For starters, she was still finding her niche and passion in a field vast with possibilities.
She didn’t want to just engineer software. She craved a way to bring in a creative element. She wanted to influence the design of the entire product.
That insight brought her back to Purdue, this time as a student in the Master of Business and Technology (MBT) program at the Mitch Daniels School of Business.
“I’ve been in that tech zone my whole life,” Deshpande explained. Growing up in the Bay Area, she had early exposure to technology through programs like Girls Who Code and Coder Dojo. “But in high school, I had very little exposure to computer science as a formal subject. I wasn’t fully sure that’s what I wanted to pursue within that domain.” She came to Purdue because of its prestige.
At Purdue, Deshpande’s undergraduate experience helped her build robust technical skills and a problem-solving mindset. She built strong foundations in computer science theory. Still, something was missing.
“I had great technical skills,” she said, “but I didn’t want to be limited to backend roles or code-only work. I wanted to understand how technology fits into the bigger picture — how it can drive business, create value and lead transformation.”
She considered an MBA, but she didn’t want to pivot from computer science. That’s where the MBT program came in.
Purdue’s MBT degree is designed for students like Rama: technically strong but eager to grow their business acumen and leadership skills. The program exposes students to machine learning, demand forecasting, predictive modeling, DevOps and computational business intelligence. That blend of business analytics, strategy, and organizational behavior with technical innovation in real-world problem scenarios nurtures students’ direction and drive.
“It felt like every single course was immediately applicable and I didn't have to leave the technical aspect behind. It was building on top of that,” said Deshpande.
For Deshpande, the experience was both natural and eye-opening. It felt natural to seek leadership opportunities.
“I started reaching out to professors,” she said. “I would just say, ‘Hey, do you need help? I can assist with any of your courses.’ I wasn’t expecting anything official — I just wanted to contribute.” That initiative opened unexpected doors. Soon, the MBT program selected her as a representative, and she started working as a teaching assistant (TA).
That’s become one of her biggest pieces of advice for students following in her footsteps: You won’t know until you ask.
Now, with both a deep technical foundation and a growing business toolkit, Deshpande is positioned for a career that transcends traditional tech roles. She is realizing her vision of working at the intersection of software and strategy. She looks forward to shaping how technology drives business.
“I think my career trajectory is leading me to product management, which is where computer science, business and technology overlap,” she said.
In a market where AI and automation are rapidly changing the landscape of both technology and business, Deshpande’s story is a testament to the power of adaptability and lifelong learning. Her return to Purdue wasn’t just a continuation — it was an optimization and acceleration of her knowledge and skills.
Purdue’s MBT degree is designed for students like Rama: technically strong but eager to grow their business acumen and leadership skills.
Deshpande always knew that a Purdue business master’s degree would bring a great return on investment. The program leveled up her skills. During her MBT, she honed her direction and created an innovative use case for the CICD (Continuous Improvement/Continuous Delivery) pipeline to improve her personal workflow. Finally, her efforts during her MBT made a position at a FAANG/top tech company attainable. Amazon hired her to fill a competitive software development engineer role—and she landed the role without any prior connections there.
And as for future students, she knows they’ll want to know, “Is my return on investment going to be worth it?” Her answer is they’ll connect with professors on a completely different level, they’ll develop high-demand, advanced capabilities that bridge their industry and business, and they’ll benefit from personalized coaching to help them land their next job.
Deshpande's journey through computer science and the MBT program has transformed her from a builder of code into a builder of impact: ready to lead, innovate, and iterate.
If you would like to receive more information about pursuing a business master’s at the Mitch Daniels School of Business, please fill out the form and a program specialist will be in touch!
