When students consider a business school, of course, they consider academics, faculty, and physical location. However, an underrated part of the search process is considering the impact of a school’s alumni. Pitt Business alumni change the world – literally, in the case of Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba.
Pitt Business was privileged to host Masire-Mwamba, Botswana’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and mission to the European Union, on campus from September 20 to 22, 2023, as an Executive-in-Residence for our Africa Business Initiative. Masire-Mwamba is an international civil servant, with over 30 years of senior-level experience in the fields of business, development, and multilateral diplomacy. She earned her MBA in 1990 from Katz and has been influential in attracting foreign investments to Botswana and increasing youth involvement in The Commonwealth, a network of 56 countries.
In an interview, she talked about her love of learning, her time at Katz, and the impact she’d like to have on current students and the world.
Welcome back to Pittsburgh! Is this your first visit back since you graduated in the early nineties?
No, I returned in 2015 when I received the International Distinguished Alumna Award from Pitt Business. But that was only for a day or two. This is my first time staying for a longer period. It’s a different experience.
What was your favorite thing to do outside of the classroom during your time in Pittsburgh?
During the one-year accelerated MBA program, we didn’t have a lot of free time. We spent a lot of time working in groups, focusing on our teamwork skills inside the classroom. Mervis Hall was a capsule of sorts for me since I spent so much time there. When I did have some time, I enjoyed going to the theatre to see shows. If something was happening in the city, I could just go out for the evening and relax. I enjoyed that part of being in Pittsburgh.
You said you spent much of your time with other students. What types of things did you learn from your peers?
One of the things we all came to realize was that you can only go so far by yourself. In Africa, we have a saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” This team-focused setting internalized that management and leadership is not about how much you know as an individual, but how much you can get done with others. Now I see why it is such a crucial part of the program.
How have you applied what you’ve learned in your academic programs in your work?
All my education opportunities have prepared me for transition. As we look at transition, you always know what you are transitioning from but don’t always know what you’re transitioning to – and that’s where the power of education comes in. Education helps shift your mindset.
When I finished my MBA, I was able to move from the engineering side of the business to the commercial side of the business. When I obtained my law degree, I was able to move from the commercial side of business to international governance, understanding why the rule of law is important. I always find that education is a good way to be exposed and, for a future that is not certain and for a future that is not yet known, no education is wasted.
You recently hosted students and alumni at an event in Berlin, what was that like, and why was it important for you to connect with current students?
It was important for me for two reasons. First, it allowed the connection between the students and alumni in that context. Second, I feel that education is not an end. We continue to contribute to society and to contribute to others. One of my messages to Pitt alumni was to continue to challenge themselves for their role in the world.
What kind of impact do you want to have when all is said and done?
I want young women to know that there are many career choices and pathways where they can be strong leaders. All of us have a great responsibility and opportunity to listen to points of view from across the range of humanity. It is critical to remember how interconnected our world is. The only way that we can come up with innovative solutions and sustainable development is to remember to be empathetic and engaged.
You’ve alluded to your background in engineering. Your career started as an engineer in telecommunications. What inspired you to go for your MBA? Why did you decide to study in America?
The Katz program interested me because it was one year long. It was easy to take the time away from work, knowing it was such a short time. The program was efficient and allowed me to learn business concepts and about how business operated in America. For example, we learned about the importance of steel to Pittsburgh – about how closing the mines impacted the city and its businesses. Some of my understanding came from readings but having the experience in person made it more impactful.
What advice would give current Pitt Business students looking to grow into the next generation of leaders?
I would encourage current students to consider the impact of technology in all sectors. Technology can be used appropriately and inappropriately – students must strive to use it ethically. Also, I think it is critical to understand the impact that leadership and decision-making have. When you make a decision as a leader and it doesn’t work out, how many other people are affected by that failure? A decision might not feel tangible to the leader, but for the subordinate workers, it can be as real as bread and butter. An example of this involves sustainability and environmental impact. We all feel the impacts of climate change, but a lot of it starts within the boardroom or in our leadership suites. I am looking forward to seeing how Generation Z changes the world.
What value do you believe the Africa Business Initiative can have on the Pitt Business community?
I think the value that it provides is appreciating other contexts and perspectives that are out there. It’s a good way to learn about where the university education ends and where the investors would like to move forward. Things in the world are constantly changing and it is important to pay attention to changes in all corners of the world. I think the school benefits from the perspective that comes from someone who has a key interest in seeing the university do well and somebody who has practical exposure that is different from the typical exposure that the university would offer.
In your time with the program, what was the most impactful class or faculty member you connected with?
There are three that jump to mind.
- I think the most impactful was the strategy course. We did a lot of casework where we had to view it from a different perspective and understand the approach and strategy. I was an engineer, coming in from engineering where one plus one always equals two. In business one plus one is not always two. That became apparent through the case studies.
- Second, there was a lecturer who led an elective I really enjoyed. I vividly remember the public speaking exercises we did. We’d get a surprise topic and present for a few minutes with minimal preparation. It forced us to think on our feet. The public speaking and quick-thinking skills have served me well in what I’ve gone on to do.
- Third. there was also an opportunity to study the German language. I only took it for a few weeks, not knowing my career would land me in that region.
