Student Spotlight: Ian McCarron '24

Ian McCarron ’24 is a management major with a concentration in entrepreneurship and innovation. The Beverly, Massachusetts native is also minoring in information technology and is currently the treasurer of the UMass Powerlifting club.

What made you choose Isenberg and UMass?

Having grown up in Massachusetts, the decision to stay in-state for my college education was easy for me. I knew the reputation UMass Amherst had as being one of the best schools with some of the highest quality undergraduate programs in the nation. Isenberg specifically drew me to UMass Amherst because of their continued standing as one of the best business educations in the U.S. I felt that Isenberg would be the best value I could get for my education—Isenberg had great professors, talented peers, and a more diverse campus than the other, more expensive, business-focused schools I was considering.

How did you choose your major? Why did you decide to pick this over other programs?

In high school, I was able to take a few business classes, and I found that I loved the subject matter. Strategy, operations, and external and internal analyses—I loved learning how businesses compete and operate. I think that management stuck out to me as something that would apply at all levels of business. For me, management was also about being able to make decisions in a firm. A field of study not focused on supporting or informing decisions but actually having the final say and being able to lead a company was something that really called out to me about the management field and the program here at Isenberg.

What have been your favorite classes and experiences at Isenberg so far?

There have been a lot of fantastic classes here in Isenberg, and I think a lot of how much you enjoy a class depends on what you put into it. The ones that have stood out to me were Professor Charlie Johnson’s entrepreneurship classes—Management 343 and 342. He just brings so much expertise and provides a fantastic lineup of guest speakers and case studies to learn from both peers and experienced business people about the practical realities of what the working world is like from a very human perspective.

Outside of class, I have also had the pleasure to participate in events run by the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship, such as the Hult Prize pitch competition, and those have been some of the most exciting and interesting opportunities I have experienced here at UMass. It is a hub of incredible talent and driven individuals who are all inspiring to connect with, and I would encourage all Isenberg students to participate in or visit the Berthiaume Center’s events during their time here.

What clubs and extracurriculars do you participate in?

On campus, I am mainly involved with UMass Powerlifting as the club treasurer. I have participated in UMass Entrepreneurship Club-hosted events a couple of times, but my role as treasurer in UMass Powerlifting is my most constant and substantial involvement.

Have you had any jobs or internships during college?

Throughout the last few years at school, I have had a number of jobs, most of them for UMass, as a building maintenance employee for a semester, and now as an RA and a TA for this current school year. I have enjoyed being a UMass employee and the ability to put my studies first and finding time to make these employments work within my schedule.

I have also had the opportunity to partake in a recurring internship with Copyright Clearance Center starting in the summer after my first year. I joined their corporate business unit and stayed on during winter break my sophomore year and this past summer. This internship has been incredibly beneficial and has offered insight into all areas of business strategy and team management, especially in the software as a service industry.

What are you planning after graduation?

I am incredibly grateful to have accepted a job offer from Prevounce Health, where I will be joining as a marketing associate this June. I anticipate this experience to go far beyond marketing as Prevounce is a startup, and I will be able to use this as a new learning chapter for my interests in entrepreneurship within the innovative world of healthcare and medical technology.

In the far future, I would like to go back to school and get a master’s degree in data analytics or a related field. But I think that it is important to go out and get some real-world work experience before going on to more school. Perhaps in the even farther future I will be able to start my own company. I haven’t found a grand idea yet, and I believe that I could use some time in an established company, but I think eventually my road will lead me to entrepreneurship.

If you could go back and give your first-year self some advice, what would you tell them?

The advice that I would give myself would be to get more involved and to be a more active part of the community both here in Isenberg and at UMass. All my favorite experiences here at UMass happened because I went out and took part in something with people who have similar interests and aspirations to me. The best opportunities arise when you go out and interact with the community at school here and try to do things a little outside of your comfort zone. Being an RA, a TA, and a club treasurer are some of my proudest achievements, and each of them was something I didn’t think I was ready for, but looking back, I wish that I had done them all sooner. So, I would tell my younger self or any other student here to get involved and do things you don’t think you’re ready for.