SDSU Alumna Pursues Lifelong Dream Career in Technology
Q & A with December 2021 Graduate, Lissa Kurnik
Lissa Kurnik, Dynamics 365 Consultant at Microsoft.
During her time at San Diego State University, Lissa Kurnik was involved in various opportunities which allowed her to grow both personally and professionally. After realizing that the path she was pursuing wasn’t right for her, she made the necessary changes to follow her passions. Kurnik reflects on her college journey and how SDSU prepared her for her career as a Dynamics 365 Consultant at Microsoft.
Name: Lissa Kurnik
Major: Management Information Systems with an emphasis in Computer Science
Graduation Year: December 2021
Pronouns: she/her
Campus affiliations/organizations: Gamma Phi Beta, SISSTER SDSU, and Association of Information Technology Professionals
Q: Briefly share what makes your story unique and how your time at SDSU has influenced your journey personally and/or professionally.
During the course of one weekend my freshman year of high school, the entire life I had known for the past 14 years had been ripped out from under me: I had been evicted from my home, my parents had gotten a divorce, we placed a restraining order against my abusive father who was and actively still is on drugs, and had sold almost all our possessions. With no money to spend and no real place to call home, my mother and I resorted to moving in with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Living there I felt like an outsider, unwelcome, and unwanted yet grateful to still be with family.
These difficulties in my life not only took their toll on me physiologically, but they also manifested physically in my body as well. I have Ulcerative Colitis, a disease that caused me to be hospitalized numerous times for testing and infusions, as well as PCOS. So here I was, a 14-year-old girl with no home, little-to-no means, degraded health, and wanting nothing more than to focus on the regular things high schoolers worry about.
My unstable living situation persisted until my junior year of high school and during such adversity I prioritized being an honors student, varsity lacrosse captain, and working part-time.
That being said, my ill-faced circumstances do not define who I am. Such hardships shaped me into the resilient woman I am today and I would not change a thing. Despite it all, I graduated with a 4.5 GPA and received early admission to San Diego State University to study Computer Science where finally some normalcy began to set in. While at SDSU, I joined Gamma Phi Beta where I made lifelong friendships and was chosen out of thousands of applicants to attend the international Gamma Phi Beta’s REAL Leadership Experience (RLE). At this event, I transformed my leadership style to confidently manage others.
However, when the pandemic hit, my life shifted in a dramatic way. While completing my coursework virtually, I took the plunge to get married to my high-school sweetheart and moved across the country to Georgia. While it may sound crazy, it was the best choice I ever could have made. He is currently serving as a Radio Telephone Operator and IT Specialist in the 7th Ranger Regiment in the US Army. Us both being in Georgia, we were able to maintain our CA residency due to the nature of the military.
In Summer 2021, we bought a house in Georgia. The Pell grant recipient who was practically homeless at 17 bought her own home at 21. A few short weeks later, I applied for a job at Microsoft and was hired in October 2021 with a start date of August 2022. It was the only full-time job I applied for post-grad. I finished the rest of my education online, graduating in December 2021. I ended up doing more schooling online than in person! My collegiate experience was not traditional, but nothing short of amazing. What a whirlwind it was, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Going to SDSU was one of the best decisions I ever made which launched me on this incredible trajectory that allowed the success I have achieved today.
Q: What advice do you have for SDSU students wanting to succeed after graduation from SDSU?
Apply to jobs early, much earlier than you think. Do not rely on others to coach you through post graduate life - while external resources may come in handy, you need to take responsibility for your career endeavors. I applied to my role at Microsoft a year before the tentative start date and was officially hired two short months after my initial application. Companies start searching for university graduates very far in advance. Be picky and don’t settle in your career search, but at the same time be cognizant that your first post-graduate position does not need to last forever if it’s not what you want. Leverage your newness into the workforce as an asset; companies truly value the ‘bright-eyed and bushy-tailed’ attitudes graduates offer, as we have fresh insight and perspectives to offer. Additionally, do not pigeonhole yourself and hold yourself back, if you don’t believe you can work a certain role or at a certain company then you won’t. Be ambitious and try, the worst thing that could happen is someone says no and you’re right back where you started.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your career search and why you chose your current company.
Kurnik outside of the Microsoft Atlanta, GA office.
At 12 years old I attended Tech Trek, a scholarship camp at Stanford in which girls are immersed in a world that empowers and encourages them to think about themselves as future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer specialists. There, I knew I was destined to work in technology.
In high school, I reaffirmed that passion through an AP Computer Science course so much that I wrote I dreamed of a career in data analytics in my 2017 college application essay. As my time in college progressed, the questions surrounding my aspiration of a career in corporate technology became ‘where?’ and ‘doing what?’ I always said that my dream job would be the perfect hybrid between people and technology because of my passion and strong ability to break down technical concepts into layman’s terms for the consumer, but I never knew what role could truly offer that to me. I say that ‘where?’ was a pressing question, but deep down I knew it had to be Microsoft—it was the only place I knew where my passion would flourish. Microsoft was the only company I applied to in search of post grad work, which may sound foolish, but I was confident. Rightly so, I made it to the final round interviews for both Customer Success Manager and Project Management/Consulting, and had to choose between the two. Ultimately, I chose Project Management/Consulting, where I felt my interests better aligned. I was so passionate and determined to work at Microsoft that I ensured I stood out in a unique way. Concurrent to the application process, I was taking an HTML web development course at SDSU (MIS 481) which inspired me to create a Microsoft themed website as to why I would be the perfect fit for the job. I even bought Microsoft polo for the final interview to highlight my passion that much more. I was hired as a Consultant two weeks after the final interview—a dream come true and the biggest blessing for which I am so grateful!
Q: Describe your experience with your current job and the responsibilities you hold.
As an Associate CE Consultant within the Industry Solutions Aspire Program for Dynamics 365 CRM, every day is full of many Microsoft Teams meetings and learning new things! The Aspire Experience program at Microsoft is a transformative two-year journey of learning and growth made of signature experiences and programs. The curriculum is aligned according to core objectives aimed to help Aspirers accelerate growth, build networks, and discover opportunities. I had the privilege of having my first two weeks of onboarding in person which helped me bond with my peers and participate in interactive presentations put together by our leadership team.
Right now, my priorities revolve around training, networking, mentorship, and shadowing on a project. I currently shadow two Senior Consultants imbuing skills that benefit the current project and all future opportunities by building a foundational knowledge of the tools and workflow while also proactively seeking additional responsibility. I own User Stories, create Acceptance Criteria, build Requirements, and demo to clients in Azure DevOps in alignment with Microsoft’s Sure Step 365 methodology. I use PowerApps to build configurations for ADO requirements in model driven Dynamics 365 Sales Hub App. I also meet with executive stakeholders 3-5 times a week to drive positive customer experience, manage client expectations, and build and maintain relationships. I do all of these things all while expressing personal accountability to boldly develop new business areas for the company to create the innovations of tomorrow. I have also tangibly showcased my eagerness and curiosity with becoming two times Microsoft Certified (D365 Fundamentals (CRM) & Power Platform Fundamentals).
Q: What advice do you have for current SDSU students to make the most out of their time at SDSU?
Be as involved as possible! Join Greek life or any other organization that you are passionate about. Go out of your comfort zone to network and create meaningful and lasting connections. If you need to change your major to better align with your ambitions, I encourage you to do so; I switched from Computer Science to Management Information Systems my sophomore year and still managed to graduate early. However, I do implore you to continue the path you originally set out for if changing course will greatly extend your time in undergrad. Most companies will teach you how to do your specific role once you start, but it’s likely you need to have a degree to do so. Of course, everyone’s situation is different so use your best judgment.
Q: What has your professional journey been like after graduating from SDSU?
Kurnik speaking as a recipient of the Self-Storage Association scholarship award in Las Vegas, NV for the 2018 SSA National Convention.
My professional journey after graduation has been just that, quite the journey so far! And it hasn’t even been a year yet. For better context, after switching my major from Computer Science to Management Information Systems in my sophomore year, I was a semester behind. I did summer classes in 2020 and 2021 and completed all upper division courses in just over 12 months, ultimately graduating early in December 2021. I was hired by Microsoft in October 2021 to start in August 2022 into the Aspire program as a Dynamics 365 Consultant. They wanted all Aspires to start at the same time in one cohort to bolster unity and community, but most individuals graduated in May or June of 2022. So, I had a rather odd 8-month gap between graduation and my post-graduate position! I was working part-time in finance during my last two semesters of school and decided to go full-time in January of 2022. Working full-time in finance was an incredible experience because I worked with the most phenomenal team who fostered so much learning and growth. I felt very confident starting at Microsoft already knowing the idiosyncrasies of working in corporate America and having a different perspective within another industry. That experience in finance has proven to be very valuable at Microsoft, being able to successfully translate my newfound database management expertise and applying that cross-industry knowledge to various projects.
Microsoft has been a whirlwind so far in the best way! I am still very new, only starting in August of 2022, but it feels like I have been at the company a great deal longer because it is very apparent this is where I belong. I have already learned a tremendous amount and even gained 2 professional certifications- yet this is just the beginning! Everyone is so friendly and encouraging, wanting to help you learn and grow to your fullest potential. Microsoft’s culture is unlike any other I have ever seen. Microsoft truly practices what they preach and every individual I have had the privilege of interacting with embodies the core values of respect, integrity, and accountability. The global company is very interconnected with networking beyond your team and even time zones are heavily encouraged. Leadership really cares about you as they want you to be happy and follow your passions. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else and I am thrilled to continue my consulting journey ultimately pivoting into a leadership position and seeking a Master of Science degree (ideally) at Georgia Tech in Analytics.
Q: When you’re not working how do you like to spend your free time? Please share about any hobbies or interests that you may have.
In my free time, I put a large emphasis on health and wellness. I love to take group fitness classes, walk my dogs, cook, and read. You’ll typically find me reading non-fiction books that promote personal enrichment and insight, but I also adore a good fiction romance or murder mystery too! Another great passion of mine is playing video games! Nintendo and Xbox games are my favorite, but more specifically I love games that revolve around problem solving like The Legend of Zelda. Recently, I spent 125 hours replaying Breath of the Wild, completing every side quest, solving every shrine, and getting every armor upgrade.
