Alumni Update: Samantha Gilchrist Mockaitis, Class of ’99

Samantha Gilchrist Mockaitis, class of ’99, stopped by middle school today to share insights on her education and interesting career path. Students were fascinated by her work in robotics and neuromodulation as Medtronic’s Director of Business Development Innovation. Students asked lots of great questions (“What’s the market opportunity?”) about a new robot her team is developing to perform general surgeries like appendectomies.

Throughout her career, she’s been able to travel to many interesting places around the world. Prague was her favorite city to visit!

Samantha had some fundamental educational experiences to set her on the path toward her fascinating career. She attended Notre Dame de Sion high school, and lived in Chicago for her undergraduate degree in Marketing/Business from Depaul University. She also received an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Loyola University.

During her visit, Samantha also shared helpful advice for students as they prepare for their future including:

1. Try new things – Study abroad, join clubs, take on new challenges! She specifically encouraged students to seek out internships in high school and/or college.
2. Academics aren’t everything – Just because you get good grades doesn’t mean you will succeed. Work hard, be the first one in the office, and be a team player! That’s how you will get noticed and get ahead.
3. Choose your college degree wisely since this will determine your possible career paths. Research which jobs you will be eligible for based on your chosen degree, consider salary ranges, and even interview a few people in the field to find out if you would like the career day-to-day.

When looking back on her time on St. Paul’s, Samantha shared, “St. Paul’s made me the business woman I am today. In particular, Ms. Mack’s math classes really fostered my love of math, put me ahead, and gave me the groundwork I needed to succeed moving forward.”

Thanks for stopping by middle school, Samantha! We can’t wait to hear more about your exciting work in the future!