Father and daughter Jeff and Cassie Taylor liked to joke that they were the most unusual study buddies NIU’s College of Business had ever seen: One a seasoned manufacturing executive with four decades of leadership experience, the other a rising machining professional stepping boldly into her early career. When they began our NIU One-Year MBA program in Schaumburg, they expected new business knowledge, fresh tools and a shared academic adventure. What neither fully anticipated was how much they would learn about each other as adults navigating the same demanding path.
For Cassie, the accelerated format was the perfect fit.
“I chose NIU’s MBA program because it offered a one-year accelerated program paired with an international trip and a career-focused curriculum,” she said. “It was the right time, as I had just finished my bachelor’s degree and was actively looking for a master’s program. NIU made sense because of the Schaumburg location that made it convenient.”
The pace meant long nights and full weekends, yet she welcomed the momentum. Immersing herself in coursework while advancing her career as a lead machinist at Craft Technology felt purposeful and empowering.
Her father felt much the same way. Jeff had high expectations for any program he would join after decades of leading one of the world’s oldest manufacturing and tooling companies. But the NIU structure — intensive, in person and convenient — convinced him immediately.
“The experience of learning alongside my daughter has truly been an opportunity of a lifetime,” Jeff said. “I have learned so much with her as we attend class and do study work together. We regularly discuss the course topics in depth, and we also debate the subject matter with a great sense of intellectual curiosity and discovery.”
Their study sessions often began with spreadsheets and leadership theories but ended with laughter, debates about strategy and the comfort of family. For Cassie, those moments were unexpected gifts.
“Learning alongside my father has been a meaningful aspect of the MBA experience,” she said. “It’s a rare opportunity, and it’s given us a shared purpose. We encourage and hold each other accountable, and we’ve had some great study sessions that turned into fun conversations.”
Accountability flowed both ways — mostly. As Jeff liked to tease, “We have not really had any challenges other than she is better at keeping me on track with my study and homework schedule than I am with her,” he said with a laugh.
Yet their perspectives in class often came from different worlds. Cassie’s career was grounded in the precision and discipline of machining. She oversaw machining processes, safety, quality and team coordination in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Her central focus guided her through every shift and every decision.
“My north star is responsibility and stewardship. I believe in taking ownership whether that means the safety of my team, the quality of the work we produce or making a positive impact in my community,” she said.
Her journey had started with an apprenticeship.
“I began learning the basics of machining through an apprenticeship with Harper Community College that allowed me to learn both on the job and in the classroom. From there I built on my technical skills by learning more about the management side through my bachelor’s [degree], then moving into a leadership position where I am still developing my technical machining skills while building my leadership skills through training and coordinating my team members while ensuring safety and quality. This paired with my MBA from NIU will help ensure I have both the academic and real-world experience to continue building my career,” Cassie said.
What surprised her most about the MBA was the diversity of her cohort.
“I’ve been most surprised by the collaborative spirit of the cohort … What’s delighted me most is how relevant the coursework feels, I’ve been able to connect classroom lessons to real challenges I’ve faced in my career,” she said.
Jeff approached the coursework from the vantage point of a global leader. His company employed 2,300 people, and each class illuminated new ways of thinking.
“The MBA program is definitively impacting me daily as I have been able to more critically assess work tasks and related decision-making through a more thoughtful and learned lens,” he said.
The professors impressed him deeply. He added, “They have proven to be masters of their field, and they are exceptionally helpful with real-world tools, global views and, overall, it has been a deep learning experience.”
Even after stepping down as president and CEO of Crafts Technology and moving into his role under Hyperion Materials and Technology, Jeff ’s passion for manufacturing never dimmed.
“I derive joy from exemplifying a somewhat obsessive and passionate commitment to the industrial manufacturing craft and from working alongside peers that share the same passion,” he said.
Together, father and daughter discovered not only new skills but new dimensions of each other: One finding her strategic voice, the other renewing his. Their MBA journey became a shared chapter neither would trade for anything.
And when they cross our NIU commencement stage side by side this December, they will carry with them not just degrees, but a story of partnership, growth and the quiet, powerful bond of family learning together.
