I graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Buenos Aires in 1991. My first job out of law school was representing the Government in my home country, Argentina. I was thrilled to practice law because I saw this as an effective means to solve conflicts in the workplace. I later learned that employee relations are far more complex and that a systemic approach to human resources management could help organizations avoid the court-room. I gradually moved from practicing employment law to working on the full scope of human resources activities while in different positions at Telecom Argentina. As a Human Resources Manager, I had the opportunity to experience the various challenges involved with directing a 3,700-employee division, managing a team of 25 professionals.

In 2001 I felt it was time to further explore the discipline of human resources, so I resigned from my job, and in January 2002 I moved from the hot Buenos Aires summer to snowy Ithaca.

After graduating with a MILR from Cornell, I joined StorageTek Corp. as part of the 'Evolving Leaders Program'. At StorageTek, I worked as Project Manager in the area of Organizational Development, engaging in a wide range of organizational and management analysis activities - consulting on leadership and organizational development. Currently, as a Sr. Manager of Talent Acquisition at Sun Microsystems, I coordinate recruiting activities and service delivery and I manage staffing vendors in eight countries, including the United States. Clearly, the thorough curriculum offered at the MILR program, in addition to the cross-cultural experience at the ILR School, left me well-prepared to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a global environment.

I chose the MILR program because of its interdisciplinary approach to learning. The school integrates key human resources courses such as Organizational Development, Human Resources Management, Staffing, and Training and Development, along with business courses like Finance and Labor Economics. In addition, you learn to apply refined support tools like statistical analysis that help you to make sound decisions in the workplace. The faculty at the ILR School does not lecture HR topics in a vacuum. Rather, they talk about real-life business issues where HR problems need to be addressed.

Another essential strength of the MILR program is the diversity of its students. During my time at the ILR School, I met people from more than 20 different countries from all around the world. This experience greatly enhanced my understanding and appreciation for other cultures. Through this, I realized that the fundamental human issues are similar around the world, even if we sometimes communicate these issues in different ways.

- Carlos Politi, MILR '03