What it takes to succeed in the MEL or MHLP: A mindset that drives progress
Success in the MEL or MHLP isn’t determined by your undergraduate GPA or your current job title. In these transformative, fast-paced professional master’s programs, your ability to thrive depends far more on the mindset that you bring than any specific background or technical skill.
During the annual Director Panel, program leaders spoke candidly about the qualities they consistently see in students who excel. Their insights reveal a clear theme: progress comes from passion, curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to learn from others.
Watch a recording of the 2026 Directors’ Panel session
Bring passion for change and a desire to grow
Academic Director Justin Bull recently led a conversation with program directors Ashely Scott (MHLP – Clinical Education), Vladan Prodanovic (MEL – Clean Energy Engineering) and Jon Mikkelsen (MEL – Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering). All three emphasized that successful students arrive with a genuine desire to make a difference.
“Students who come into the MHLP with the passion to change health care for the better by developing their own leadership skills feel such great motivation all the way through that they just fly as they approach the end of the program,” said Ashley Scott.
That sense of purpose sustains students through an intense year of learning and transformation.
As the director of the Clean Energy Engineering program, Vladan Prodanovic sees this sense of purpose show up as curiosity and drive. “Successful students share an appetite to really get engaged in meaningful conversations around sustainability, engineering design, and the energy sector,” he said.
When students pair their passion with the discipline to build new skills, they leave the program ready to innovate and shape the future of their industries.
Come ready to learn and share
The MEL and MHLP are structured as collaborative learning environments where students learn from each other as much as they do from faculty. That requires openness to new ideas and perspectives, as well as a willingness to share their own experiences with others.
“Some of the best learning in our programs happens when people share what they know, hear what others know and unlearn some of the things they thought were the best way to do things,” explained Ashley Scott.
Clinical Education alum Evan Wilton describes what this was like for him : “It was energizing to be in a room of critical thinkers and problem-solvers. My classmates had diverse backgrounds but, like me, were motivated to improve how things are done. They want things to get better and they want to be the people who are guiding and leading those changes.”
The sharing of knowledge and experiences is integral to the MEL and MHLP experience. Students thrive when they are open to learning from others, contribute respectfully, listen actively and stay curious. This mindset enriches classroom learning and lays the foundation for a professional network that lasts long after graduation.
Understand that these are team-based programs
Across every industry, the projects that create meaningful impact are built by teams, not individuals. Whether you are improving a health-care system, designing a vessel or advancing a clean-energy solution, progress depends on collaboration.
As Jon Mikkelsen puts it: “Naval architecture is a team sport and there is no one person here who can do everything.” This is as true in naval architecture as it is in any other sector represented by the MEL and MHLP.
While each program has its own sector-specific technical focus, collaboration is at the core of the experience. Classes are dominated by rigorous discussion and the exchange of ideas. Many assignments are team-based, requiring students to collaborate with peers from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds to address a real-world challenge. Read about past projects.
Team-based projects are not always easy! Students who excel are those comfortable embracing that discomfort and who show up ready to contribute, ready to listen and ready to learn how to navigate issues in a productive way so that the group can achieve more than any individual could on their own.
Workshops held at the beginning of the year during Welcome Week help students begin deepening their skills as group members and leaders. These foundations set students up to succeed throughout the year and into their careers after graduation.
Support each other—and let yourself be supported
The programs are intense, fast-paced and demanding. The students who flourish are those who lean into the collective strength of the cohort.
“Support your colleagues, and don’t hesitate to ask for support yourself,” advised Jon Mikkelsen. “Lean on the people around you.”
That focus on mutual support is shared across all the programs, Even when students arrive with different goals or professional backgrounds they soon discover that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
As Vladan Prodanovic noted, “People may have different ambitions, but there is still a shared goal: to grow through the program and move toward what comes next.”
Your mindset creates the conditions for success
The MEL and MHLP programs are designed to stretch you out of your comfort zone – to broaden your thinking, deepen your expertise and prepare you for leadership. But the transformation only happens when you are open to it and come to the program with:
- a passion for your field and leading positive change
- the desire to learn, question and engage deeply
- an openness to share and to listen
- a collaborative mindset that values team-based learning
- a willingness to support others and be supported
As Ashley Scott said – and as is evidenced by the post-graduation career trajectories of our alumni – students who bring these qualities to their time in the MEL or MHLP “just fly.”
