“Find an industry that you are interested in and don’t hesitate to look outside the box for opportunities that suit you.”

When deciding what career path to choose, Anna Zaleski ’15 never imagined the possibilities becoming an engineer might bring. As a software product manager and one of Milwaukee’s finest musicians, Anna is encouraging other MSOE grads to explore beyond what they think they might be capable of. 

Growing up, Anna was involved in several musical pursuits including playing viola in the school orchestra and singing in choir. When it came to choosing what to pursue for college her love for mathematics fueled her interest in engineering. 

“I was drawn to MSOE due to the value and respect that an MSOE degree would hold within any industry.” 

Living in Milwaukee, also made her close in proximity to her parents in northern Illinois and some of the city’s best music venues. “I would often walk to the Pabst Theater, buy concert tickets and then head to a lab for class. It was so convenient that the campus and dorms are within walking distance of so many great venues.” 

As a student, Anna continued to explore music and performing. On campus, she was involved in the MSOE Student Music Organization (SMO) playing in the orchestra and even serving on the board during her senior year. She also played with the UW-Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, taking the bus twice a week to UWM’s campus for rehearsals. 

As an industrial engineering student, Anna also found joy in activities related to her major. In 2015 she and fellow classmates hosted the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) North Central Regional Conference. “I loved having the opportunity to show off our small school to students from larger universities in the Midwest. Our team organized facility tours at local companies, coordinated workshops and seminars with industry professionals and hosted the regional IE paper competition, which my roommate happened to win!” 

Amidst these activities and her schoolwork, Anna joined a band her sophomore year called Ugly Brothers. The group regularly performed around the city and played live on 88.9 Radio Milwaukee with Anna playing violin and mandolin. “The band kept me extra busy during college—I distinctly remember studying for finals in the control room of a recording studio in Walker’s Point while my bandmates recorded their parts for a record, we released later that year.” 

After graduating from MSOE, Anna started her career at FedEx on the Hub Engineering Support team where she modeled equipment and staffing needs for the Ground Economy network and automated field performance reports. 

Today, she continues her tenure at FedEx but as a product manager. In this position, Anna helps to lead in the vision, development and execution of software applications that are used company-wide to improve aspects of the sortation and shipping process. She credits the IE program for helping her build an industrial engineering mindset. 

“The industrial engineering program at MSOE taught us various tools and methods to optimize processes and look for efficiencies wherever possible. Something that is valuable in any field.” 

She also continues to nurture her musical pursuits. She plays the fiddle and acoustic guitar and sings in a country cover band called FM Rodeo. In 2023, she was even named “Best Female Vocalist” by Shepherd Express. She also became engaged to a fellow MSOE alumnus. “My experience at MSOE opened up so many doors. Not only did I receive a first-rate education, but through MSOE I discovered a city that I love, a fantastic career and company to work for and a thriving and welcoming music scene. It is an incredible school and just keeps getting better.”