Engineering Management Alumni Spotlight: John Salvagno

Q & A with Cornell MEM alum John Salvagno 

Can you tell us about your work and describe your recent acceptance into the Global Shapers Program? 
I currently work in the Water Business Line for Arcadis, a global design and consultancy firm. I joined Arcadis after graduating from the Engineering Management program in 2017. In September, I’ll be traveling to the United Kingdom as part of the 2019 Global Shapers Program. The Global Shapers Program provides 100 early career professionals within Arcadis worldwide the opportunity to improve Arcadis, create more international connections and share knowledge.

Why did you choose Cornell Engineering Management?
I chose Cornell MEM because of the strong reputation of both the College of Engineering and SC Johnson College of Business. The opportunity to combine classes from two top ranked programs was hard to pass up!

How did Cornell MEM prepare you for your position at Arcadis?
The program flexibility of MEM taught me a wide variety of skills to think independently and as part of a group. At Arcadis, no two projects have been the same. Having a background in topics ranging from Construction Planning and Operations to Risk Analysis and Management has allowed me to support senior staff on a variety of projects.

What do you work on now at Arcadis?
I work on water/wastewater projects through each phase of the project life cycle to ultimately benefit large scale public health. Also, I should mention that Arcadis is undergoing a company-wide digital transformation to help clients derive the most value from their data. I work on teams that develop solutions for collecting, analyzing and processing data in ways that are user friendly and insightful.

What advice would you give to Cornell MEM Students?
Make active efforts to improve the way you treat yourself and others. Anything is possible when you have a motivated team of bright people around you.