Alumni Spotlight: Tarunam Mahajan ’20

7/30/20 Pratt School of Engineering

Tarunam Mahajan, Class of 2020, is a Senior Associate Technology Program Manager at Equinix. She holds a BS in Electronics and Communication Engineering and is originally from Pathankot, India.

Abele Quad
Alumni Spotlight: Tarunam Mahajan ’20

Before coming to Duke

I worked for three years at Ericsson as a Network Engineer responsible for integration and deployment of mobile network for Pan-American markets.

Why I chose Duke MEM 

Duke was my No. 1 choice. Duke’s MEM Program is highly flexible, and provides the freedom to pick and choose the coursework that best serves your professional interests. Coming from an engineering background, I wished to navigate to the business side of technology and Duke MEM courses could provide the right exposure to fields like marketing, finance, product and program management. I wished to explore my interest in multiple disciplines, and saw myself as a perfect fit for Duke’s MEM program.

My favorite courses

My favorite Duke MEM courses were Project Management, Competitive Strategies and Management in High-Tech Industries. All three are highly structured and impart industry-relevant skills. I was able to directly implement the frameworks, concepts and knowledge.

Top places to visit in Durham

  • Blue corn cafe: If you’re into Latin American food
  • The shortcake sundae at Goodberry Frozen custard
  • Pour Taproom, Another not-to-miss, right in the heart of downtown Durham

My favorite spot on campus

I have a lot of favorite places on campus, but my favorite is when the bells in Duke Chapel chime every day at 5 o’clock sharp.

My favorite Duke MEMory

Friday evening MEM seminars, followed by Pratt Chat socials for engineering graduate students.

After Duke MEM

I joined Equinix, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., as a Senior Associate Program Manager. I’ll be working with the product security team  responsible for helping a cross-functional team manage project schedules, define workflows, manage resources, and ensure smooth delivery of product features throughout the lifecycle of any software product.