Brenda Batista-Mollohan, ’93, ’95 MHA : Founder, Inspiring Company Culture
What was your path to graduation at The Ohio State University?
I came in thinking I was going to be pre-med and actually started classes that way. I always knew I wanted to be an engineer; I just didn't know what type. I chose Industrial Systems Engineering--we dabble in a little of everything from strength of materials to how to make the industry run better. You have to know a little bit of everything but not deeply. We ended up doing a lot of engineering management; we had to take classes in psychology.
Why do you support the Office of Diversity and Inclusion?
The MSP program gave me community while I was there, consisting of folks who looked like me and had similar struggles (I was first-generation). It's a safe place to ask a stupid question. Having the MSP community helped me with reminders of what I needed to be doing and different timelines. It was just all the things I would not have known without pestering.
What do you do now?
I own my own consulting firm. I do a mixture of operational consulting and team consulting. I also went back to school and became an attorney. I use that mostly for contract review. I'm also the handler for a therapy dog. We go out to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and vaccination locations.
What is your advice for current students?
Take advantage of the help you can get in different courses whether you think you've got it or not. Take the opportunity to have someone help you and coach you. Don't be afraid to toot your own horn. It's not arrogance, it's competence.