International student Nomula credits USC’s resources, advisors, alumni network and her role as an OIS student assistant with helping her adjust to life far from home (Photo: Courtesy of Nishitha Nomula)
Master’s Student Blends Engineering Background with Business Expertise at USC Viterbi
With the MS in Engineering Management program, Nishitha Nomula hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of technology and management to make a positive impact on the world around her.
Nishitha Nomula thought she had to follow “the safe route” when it came to her career. For her, that meant working in a scientific field. But thanks to the multi-faceted nature of the Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEMT) program from USC Viterbi School of Engineering, she will be set up for roles that allow her to combine her passion for people with her background in engineering.
Nomula, who is originally from Hyderabad, India, was initially drawn to study engineering as an undergraduate student because it was a well-known career pathway in her community. Interested in the environment, she chose chemical engineering with the goal of eventually working in sustainability research.
But, an on-campus experience ultimately changed her perspective.
“I love talking to people and connecting with them, but I never really thought that it could mean something in my career. Then, I had the opportunity to become president for a student club, and it gave me that push to understand I’d love working in a management role,” she explained.
To pivot, Nomula realized she needed to pursue a graduate program at the intersection of technology, business and people — the three areas she had come to see as central to her career goals. She found that exact combination in the MS in Engineering Management program at USC Viterbi.
She was initially drawn to USC for several reasons, including the program’s variety of courses, USC’s global presence and its membership in the Master of Engineering Management Programs Consortium (MEMPC), an organization of leading graduate programs that connects students with top employers. The strength of USC’s Trojan Family was also a part of the appeal.
“If I’m spending all my time and energy in a community, and I’m living away from my family for the first time, I want to be surrounded by people,” she told the USC Office of International Services (OIS). “I want to be with people who will help you. Everything I heard about the Trojan network stood out.”
Since arriving at USC, Nomula has found that the network has lived up to its reputation.
“Coming out of my undergrad years and navigating the international job market was a little tough, as the process is different in India. The USC network has really helped me understand how to polish my presentation and position myself well, which both my peers and USC alumni helped me with,” she said.
Nomula also gained professional experience that connected her engineering background with her interest in sustainability. She landed an internship with the Larta Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on advancing science and technology innovation for a more sustainable future.
Her on-campus involvement has continued as well, joining the Women in Engineering student organization and serving as its associate director for events. She also joined the Engineering Management Student Association.
“Those were two opportunities that I’ll hold dear to my heart,” she said.
As an international student, Nomula was initially nervous about navigating an environment far from home. But she said USC’s resources, advisors and alumni — as well as her position at OIS as a student assistant — have helped make the transition easier.
“I’ve worked with different teams and met different people. I developed a strong community with OIS, with people who could give me answers and help with my doubts,” she said.
Now in her final semester of the MSEMT program, Nomula is still leaving room for her career to evolve. In the short term, she is open to consulting, business analyst and program management roles, where she can apply the technical and operational skills she has developed through the program and her internship position.
In the future, she hopes to combine her engineering and management expertise to lead technology-driven initiatives that address environmental challenges, particularly at the intersection of sustainability and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Ultimately, she wants to use technology to make a positive impact on the world around her.
“I used to have a plan A, plan B, plan C, but the program shook me all up — in a good way — and I’m open to anything right now,” she concluded.
