Dominique Rustia became the first student from the Philippines to enroll in the prestigious Leaders for Global Operations or LGO Program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In the MIT LGO program, Rustia will earn both an MBA from MIT Sloan and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering.
The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations and improve the world, according to a statement sent by Jennifer Grady, the media relations specialist at MIT Sloan School of Management.
Rustia previously earned a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from De La Salle University in Manila. She graduated cum laude and at the top of her class with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the same university in June 2012.
“With her technical prowess, natural curiosity, and humility, we are fortunate to have Rustia in MIT’s LGO Program, and to be able to attract talent of her caliber from around the world,” says Thomas Roemer, executive director of the MIT LGO Program.
“I came to MIT for its focus on action learning, which is reflected in the Institute’s mission of ‘mens et manus’ or ‘mind and hand.’ Students work on hands-on projects to solve real-world issues, applying what they learn in class,” says Rustia. “I also came here because of MIT’s entrepreneurial network, clubs, and labs that provide opportunities to learn from industry leaders and conduct cutting-edge research.”
Rustia is from Manila and previously worked for Mondelez International (formerly Kraft Foods Philippines) as part of its Graduate Trainee Program. Rustia also cofounded a recruitment startup called InternMe.
“My goal is to build my own contract manufacturer and incubator, which will help small to medium size businesses and entrepreneurs design for scale and distribute their products to a more global market,” she says. “I searched for a program that would help me develop both the technical and business skillsets needed to achieve my goal. The LGO program’s dual-degree in engineering and business was a great fit.”
At MIT Sloan, Rustia is co-chair of the LGO International Plant Trek and LGO Preview Day. She also is head of finance for MITxMAKE, a maker fair on campus, and vice president of the Design Club. She is enrolled in the SM Mechanical Engineering/Manufacturing track as well as MIT Sloan’s MBA program.