Congrats to Morgan Mitchell Bell ’17, MS ‘17 for being awarded WPI GOLD’s "10 Under 10" award in the category of Community Outreach & Inclusion.
She has become a mentor and role model for many college students. Morgan has worked with students all over the globe through mentoring, technical guidance, keynote speaking, and scholarships! Congratulations on your achievements!
We caught up with Morgan to learn more.
Why is giving back time to WPI and others important?
Giving back to others is the only way that we will continue to move forward. I wouldn't have been able to attend WPI without the scholarships I received, many of which were made up of donations from others. I wouldn't have gotten all of the experiences I did at WPI if others hadn't given back their time or chosen to have invested in me. I see it as my responsibility to do the same for others, so I try to live by "be the person you needed when you were younger."
I didn't know a career in tech was possible without a computer science degree, but I was able to follow my passions, and now I do what I love. I try to help students understand that there is not a 'one size fits all' to landing their dream internship or job. I think society puts so much pressure on young adults to fit a certain mold, and thus students put even more pressure on themselves to be perfect. The truth is, you'll only achieve your best when you are authentic to yourself. I hope that by being open about my journey and giving back (both through money and time), I can help students in ways that I didn't know I needed when I was their age which will help empower them and give them a head start as they start the next chapters of their lives.
What advice would you give to current students and young alumni?
Passion will take you further in life than anything else will.
I know it sounds cheesy, but following your passions is your best bet for being successful and happy. At WPI I didn't start as a management engineering major, but when I started taking business classes, I knew it's what I wanted to do. It took me a good chunk of time to be honest about that with myself and ignore people mocking me for leaving a 'real engineering' degree to pursue management engineering. The funny thing is, it was that decision that led me to being one of the first people to do my BS and MS simultaneously at WPI in just four years. It was that decision that led me to be recruited by Microsoft as the only product manager from WPI that year. It was that decision that lead me to getting to work on certain projects, meeting specific people, and getting the opportunities that I did at WPI. So, long story short, stay true to who you are, what you love, and what you are passionate about. It'll be so worth it in the end.
Is there any additional information you would like to share?
I recently learned that I am being named to "The Top 50 Women of Impact" 2023 by Women Impact Tech.
See other winners of the GOLD "10 Under 10" Awards here.