LaTonyia Vaughn (M.S. in MIT ’26), an IT Project Manager with a federal government diplomacy agency in Washington, DC, has carved out a role that allows her to unite people, processes, and technology. Her career has taken her through many positions working in tech: “I have been a tester, programmer, and systems analyst,” she says. “However, where I discovered my talents was in coordinating, pulling things together, and making them better.”
That passion for integration led her to the M.S. in Management of Information Technology (MSMIT) Program at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce. “For someone like me, this program is connecting and deepening my technical expertise,” she explains. “The program definitely helps me understand the general language of IT and how it fits together for an organization.”
Learning That Immediately Applies
Although only a few months into the program, Vaughn has already found practical ways to apply what she’s learning at work. That kind of hands-on relevance has stood out to her.
“It’s been very eye-opening to understand new applications and concepts and how to apply them. I’m already using some tools from Module 1 [Enterprise Architecture] at my job. One of the things that I felt was challenging was ERDs [entity relationship diagrams, flowcharts demonstrating how entities such as people, objects, or concepts relate to each other],” she says. Despite the learning curve, she has already introduced the tool to her team and is incorporating it into their processes.
Beyond technical skills, Vaughn says the program has also supported and strengthened her leadership confidence. “Being in a classroom, seeing how an enterprise architecture actually works, and then being able to ask questions has given me the confidence to make better decisions for my team.”
Collaboration and Perspectives
For Vaughn, collaboration is as vital in the classroom as it is in her agency. “I’ll quote a professor who I heard say, ‘No one person knows everything; however, even if a group of people will not know everything, they’ll know a little bit more,’” she says.
Working with MSMIT classmates from a wide group of industries has broadened her outlook as well. “The diversity of perspectives has given me different viewpoints and a deeper understanding,” she says. “The development of learning new relationships and work styles? I’m not afraid of actually doing the work, and I don’t mind bringing my strength and also bringing areas of improvement or sharing that.”
Her philosophy mirrors her leadership approach at work. “You have to go ask questions and work with people you haven’t worked with before. That is an important part of achieving success and accomplishing initiatives—by building relationships.”
Vaughn says her professors are fostering that environment of shared learning: “What I like about the faculty is that they allow everyone to bring their different perspectives and lived experiences, and hearing about someone else’s experience has been tremendous for me. It gives me ideas to try [based on] something that’s brand new.”
She also appreciates McIntire’s discussion-based approach. “This is my first time in a master’s program, so I didn’t realize how the discussions [would work]. I’m glad it’s more than a lecture; the engagement between the professors and the students is very lively; it really encourages great debate and discussions in IT and the way different industries do business.”
Discipline and Ambition
Balancing graduate study with a full-time leadership position requires focus, planning, and a delicate balance. “I have the ability, and I make the sacrifices,” says Vaughn. “I pace myself. And I do take a one-day break, but I make sure that I am spending at least several hours a day on the curriculum after work. When you’re in a program like this, you have to make some trade-offs.”
That discipline fuels her long-term vision. “I definitely hope to be in a position where I am serving in a strategic IT role and able to shape the direction of an organization and provide solutions,” Vaughn says. “I see this program helping me in that way, giving me additional opportunities to participate in other areas, and being able to apply for other positions because I’ll have the educational expertise to demonstrate what I accomplished in this program.”
Every late night and early morning represents an investment in what’s next for her. “Be prepared to invest in yourself. Be prepared to make the sacrifice, and be prepared to work, because it’s well worth it,” she says to any professionals considering the innovative program. “You’re going to be a better version of yourself in the future.”
Through Vaughn’s experience, the value of the MSMIT program comes into sharp focus: practical skills, collaborative learning, and the confidence to lead strategically in an increasingly digital world. McIntire is expanding Vaughn’s knowledge while preparing her for evolving into the kind of leader she’s determined to become.
