Meet Damien Henry
Growing up in southwest Iowa, Damien Henry didn’t have a perfectly mapped-out career plan. What he did have was curiosity and a willingness to explore it.
That openness led him to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at Iowa State University. Around his junior year, Henry began to zoom out. Engineering sharpened his technical problem-solving skills, yet he found himself increasingly interested in the business side of complex systems and decision-making. That curiosity guided him to discover Iowa State’s concurrent MBA program through the Ivy College of Business. He graduated in 2024 with his MBA and bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, an academic combination that would soon shape his professional path.
Today, Henry works in Denver, Colorado, as an energy and utilities consultant for 1898 & Co., the consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell. He helps organizations navigate complex infrastructure and energy challenges, drawing on both his engineering training and his MBA perspective.
Henry credits the Ivy MBA program with transforming the way he approaches problem-solving. “The best way to describe it is structured problem solving, having the ability to breakdown a messy or unclear problem into something that is manageable and digestible. It’s something the MBA really helped me develop. Engineering is really good at solving one specific, complex problem, but the MBA helped me zoom out on those problems, and that skill was something critical for me to learn,” he said.
Through case competitions and hands-on coursework, he developed a structured approach to breaking down complex challenges into manageable pieces. More importantly, he learned to think beyond the technical solution.
MBA coursework sharpened his ability not only to answer questions but also to ask better ones. “It helped me understand why I’m answering a question and how the decisions you’re making flow through to the bottom line of a company.”
Tabatha Carney, director of graduate business career services, said, “Damien understood the power of fully leaning into his MBA experience. Throughout the program, he consistently pushed himself to broaden his approach to solving problems and to collaborate intentionally with his team, cohort, and faculty mentors. He sought out new ways of thinking beyond the status quo. I’m convinced that his tremendous effort played a significant role in strengthening his career-readiness skills and his mindset.”
While building his career, Henry has also made it a priority to give back to current Ivy MBA students. He vividly remembers how intimidating the recruiting process and career fairs felt as a student. Mentors played a crucial role in helping him recognize his strengths, position himself effectively, and identify the right industries.
“I had a lot of great mentors who helped me understand my strengths and how to present myself,” Henry shared. Now, he feels a responsibility to extend that same support to others. “It’s a duty to give back some of that grace,” he said, describing his efforts to help students build their “recruiting and networking muscle.”
One moment stands out in particular. While working in the college’s Houston Sales Suite, Henry met an engineering student who wasn’t necessarily considering the MBA program but through his connection with Henry and talking through career paths and opportunities, the student decided to apply. That student eventually joined the program and now works at 1898 & Co. with Henry.
For Henry, that full-circle moment reinforced the power of mentorship and connection. Networking played a pivotal role in Henry’s own career journey. He’s quick to distinguish between surface-level exchanges and meaningful relationships. “It’s important to think long-term, not just transactional,” he said. To him, effective networking isn’t about collecting contacts. It’s about creating a genuine connection that can develop over time rather than thinking about what a person can do for you in that moment.
Carney stated, “As a career services professional, moments like Damien’s feel like a dream come true. When an MBA graduate not only finds a career with a company that they truly love but also feels inspired to return, uplift current students, and recruit from the very program that shaped them, there is nothing more rewarding. It’s the clearest sign that the Ivy MBA experience has come full circle and is actively building a legacy of leaders who give back.”
“Just go do it. I paid Iowa State for a degree, and in return, I got a really good MBA degree. I got a really good job that I love and enjoy, and I met my long-term partner, so the MBA changed my life in more ways than one.”
— Damien Henry
From an employer’s perspective, Henry sees clear strengths in Iowa State MBA students. “Work ethic and humility go an incredibly long way,” he said. “That ability to put your head down, work hard, absorb information, and remain coachable makes a strong impression.”
He also emphasizes the value of applied learning. “Employers love to see students challenging themselves,” he said.
Case competitions, hands-on classroom projects, and internships help students build what he calls a “problem-solving muscle,” the ability to apply frameworks and tools in real-world situations. These experiences help Ivy students build those career-ready skills.
When asked what advice he would give current MBA students, Henry didn’t hesitate.
“Just go do it,” he said of pursuing the MBA. Henry joked, “I paid Iowa State for a degree, and in return, I got a really good MBA degree. I got a really good job that I love and enjoy, and I met my long-term partner, so the MBA changed my life in more ways than one.”
For students currently in the program, his advice is simple: dive in. “Squeeze every ounce of benefit out of it,” he said. “You get out of it what you put into it.”
From southwest Iowa to Denver, Colorado, Henry’s journey reflects the power of combining technical expertise with business insight and the lasting impact of investing in both your own growth and the growth of others.
If you’re looking to give back to the Ivy MBA or partner with graduate career services, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to Tabatha Carney, director of graduate business career services.
