Business Management Alumnus and MBA Student Hired by Fellow Point Park Graduate Alumni Profile
Photo by Hannah Johnston, senior English major
Meet Andrew Duncan
- Job Title & Employer
- Partner Account Manager, Cloud Adoption Solutions
- Majors/Programs
- Business Management, MBA
- Graduation
- April 2018, December 2019
- College Activities
- Men's Baseball Team
- Scholarships
- Academic and Athletic
- Hometown
- Tampa, Fla.
- High School
- Bishop McLaughlin Catholic Prep
- Now Living In
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
"Andrew's ambition and tenacity made him an absolute perfect candidate for the role of partner account manager. Point Park University has a focus on perspective and inclusion. In my studies there, I have always been encouraged to consider where others were coming from and the challenges they faced, and I knew that Andrew would have been given the same opportunity to think globally. I know that anyone who has been a learner at Point Park knows to dig deep, to get to a root cause and to take action."
"Point Park University embodied everything that I was looking for in a college experience. Initially, the draw was playing baseball at the collegiate level, but receiving a top-level business management education while living in one of the most beautiful cities Downtown was the experience I had always dreamed about."
Tell us about being hired as a partner account manager by Point Park MBA alumna Shannon Gregg ’14.
It was an incredible experience — and I owe it all to Point Park University. I regularly keep up with Point Park alumni success stories so that I can learn from others and be inspired by them. When Point Park ran a success story on my future boss Shannon Gregg, a 2014 MBA alumna and current Ph.D. in community engagement student, I was immediately hooked.
I read about Shannon's company and what they do, and I just knew this was the company and leader I wanted to work for. I proactively emailed the company my resume and the ideas I had for furthering the organization's success. I interviewed a few days later, and the rest is history! Now I wake up every day and work my dream job, while learning from a mentor who pushes me to be the best I can!
What factors made you choose Point Park University?
Point Park University embodied everything that I was looking for in a college experience. Initially, the draw was playing baseball at the collegiate level, but receiving a top-level business management education while living in one of the most beautiful cities Downtown was the experience I had always dreamed about. Also, Point Park's faculty foster creativity and entrepreneurship, which I value very highly!
Why did you decide to continue your studies in business with our MBA program?
My experience at Point Park was truly amazing, and that's why I decided to continue on to get my MBA at Point Park as well. I always knew that I wanted to continue my education and earn my MBA. For the goal I had — being an executive for a technology firm — it was my next step. Education is something I value above all else, so there was never another option as far as I was concerned.
I had a huge place for Point Park in my heart and it was always at the top of my list for where I’d like to get my MBA. While I was in my senior year of undergrad I applied and thankfully got in! As a Point Park undergrad, they made the matriculation into the graduate program accessible and easy. I definitely feel that I was very prepared for master's level studies.
How did you successfully balance your time as a Point Park student-athlete?
For me, it was all about planning. My life grew very hectic between practice and school, not to mention I was always working a part-time job as well. I made a huge effort to plan my time every day to the hour within my calendar, and it always kept me on track. In my life, organization has always been something I’ve relied on to keep me from getting overwhelmed. I still rely on my calendar to organize my life since this helped me so much in my time as a student athlete.
Final thoughts?
I owe everything I have right now to my parents and Point Park University. My parents always instilled in me the need to push my inner boundaries, broaden my horizons and take risks. Point Park brought me to the amazing city of Pittsburgh and delivered a great education that has served me well since graduating. I feel so fortunate to be working my dream job a year after graduation, and, I have to say, to anyone who is contemplating their trajectory or next steps, dream huge and take risks, because one big move can change your life!