Shreyas Kulkarni

I grew up in Pune, India, a city shaped by history, culture, and a thriving automotive industry. From a young age, I was fascinated by how things worked, especially cars. That curiosity led me to a career in automotive engineering, where I had the privilege of working across a wide spectrum, from scrappy startups where I wore every hat imaginable, to mid-sized firms, to industry giants like Caterpillar and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Most recently, I was a Systems Engineer at Tronair, a leader in aircraft ground support equipment.

After nearly a decade as an engineer, I reached a point where I knew it was time to grow differently. I wanted to move beyond solving technical problems and start shaping strategy, leading teams, and driving business outcomes. That's what brought me to Michigan Ross.

The Weekend MBA was the right fit from the start. It let me stay grounded in my work while building the business acumen I needed to make a real transition. Ross's deep ties to the automotive and industrial sectors, its emphasis on leadership development, and the cohort model, which connected me with genuinely remarkable people from all walks of life, made the experience richer than I expected.

Looking back, what I value most is how immediately applicable the learning was. I wasn't studying in a vacuum; I was bringing Saturday's class back to Monday's meeting.

Since graduating in May 2026, I've made a deliberate career shift into management consulting. I now serve as a Senior Consultant on the Performance Improvement team at Crowe LLP.

If you're a prospective student, especially one coming from a technical background wondering whether an MBA is the right move, I'd love to talk. The path isn't always linear, but Ross has a way of making the next step feel a lot clearer.