Alumni Spotlight: Marshall Van Beurden

Marshall Van Beurden is the Chief Technology Officer at myTomorrows, a global healthcare technology company based in Amsterdam specializing in clinical trial access. He began his global healthcare journey at WWU, graduated in 1996 with a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in IT, and again in '97 with an MBA in Economics. Before his current position, Marshall worked as a managing director for Amazon Web Services and then as leader of the enterprise engineering team at Miro, a digital collaboration platform.

Why did you choose Western?

It was a combination of factors. I was impressed by the campus and mix of both educational and outdoor recreational activities. I had originally planned on studying Industrial Design, as I had a strong engineering and maths background. I ended up transitioning to a double major of IT and Economics for my undergraduate, then getting an MBA as well.

 Is there a particular moment or memory that stands out in your mind about your Western experience?

From a learning and development standpoint, there were lots of clubs and extracurricular activities that were planned.  As an undergraduate, the MIS club arranged a site visit to Microsoft to see a 'day in the life' of a software development team.  This was particularly formative, as I think it sparked my initial interest.

What skills or key lessons did you learn at Western that have helped you go on to succeed or contributed to your success?

Intellectual curiosity and resilience—both were characteristics I developed while at Western Washington University that have contributed to my success after I graduated.

 Did you have a favorite professor or other WWU employee who made a significant impact on your life or time here? Any favorite professors or experiences you’d like to share? A favorite course or thing you learned in a course?

My first Economics course, taught by Mary Ann Hendryson, sparked my interest in Economics, which I then subsequently took enough courses in to earn a degree. My second was in Linear Algebra because the professor was so enthusiastic about the subject, which was infectious.

 What advice do you have for undergraduates who are considering their career paths?

What you study is less important than how you study. The way you learn now will shape how you learn and pick up new skills through the remainder of your career.