Dan Dougherty’s Liberal Arts and Human Sciences education helped shape a global career

When a major job offer activated an imposter syndrome experience, Dan Dougherty drew upon the skills he learned as a Virginia Tech student.

Dougherty had been working at John Deere for eight years in supply management and manufacturing roles. Now, his employer wanted him to take on an even larger leadership role: program manager for the company’s next generation of diesel engines.

Management jobs like this one had typically been held by engineering graduates at the company.

“And because I wasn't an engineer, I initially suffered from imposter syndrome and felt like I wasn't cut out for this type of job,” said Dougherty. “But I soon realized that I had many other skills that were complementary to those of the engineering staff, including my ability to manage projects, lead teams, think strategically, and focus on the big picture.”

Dougherty thrived in his new position, ultimately leading to his first major promotion. He’s now the sales and marketing leader for electronic systems.

Dougherty graduated in 1996 with bachelor's degree in communication and political science from what is now the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. He credits the university’s transdisciplinary approach and experiential learning opportunities as laying the foundation for his career.

He now lives in Fargo, North Dakota, but traverses the world through his work. Fortunately, he often finds his way back to his alma mater.

Dougherty serves on the Dean’s Roundtable for the College of Liberal Arts, which consists of alumni and friends of the college who advise and assist on decision-making in collaboration with Dean Laura Belmonte.

He also gives back to his alma mater by supporting the Beyond Boundaries Scholars program, which doubles the impact of qualifying scholarship gifts that help underrepresented and high achieving students.

Dougherty recently took time to reflect on his career and time at Virginia Tech and share words of wisdom with students and fellow alumni.

Could you describe the journey of your career and growth you've experienced along the way?

I will celebrate 25 years with John Deere this year and have been privileged to work in almost every functional area of the business. I've traveled to five continents and visited diverse locales ranging from the skyscrapers of Hong Kong to the jungles of Ghana. During this time, I've developed a good business acumen, but have also learned a great deal about people and how we are more alike than we are different.

In what ways did your experiential learning opportunities at Virginia Tech help prepare you for your career?

I think of my education at Virginia Tech as the solid foundation that my career has been built upon. The core curriculum provided the basic ingredients. Classes in my majors gave me the recipe to apply those ingredients strategically and critically. I learned how to both analyze and think creatively. But beyond that, the experiential nature of my classes helped me learn the value of teamwork and how to work with others to solve problems.

With your background in political science and communication studies, how do you believe the interdisciplinary nature of your undergraduate education has contributed to your ability to adapt and be successful in the  world of business and technology?

I think the answer to this question is within the name of our college. True success in a rapidly changing business environment requires both art and science.I would argue that you can't really adapt to change without both rigorous analysis and the development of creative solutions. I first learned how to do both of those things as a student at Virginia Tech. Simply said, adaptability is at the intersection of liberal arts and human sciences.

Reflecting on your journey from Virginia Tech to your current managerial position, what advice would you give to students interested in pursuing careers with the skills they learn in our college?

I think that the skills learned in liberal arts and human sciences can be applied very broadly and can ultimately help make someone a better manager if they choose to pursue a career in business. After graduating from Virginia Tech, I also received an MBA. But I don't think the MBA alone would have fully prepared me to be an effective people leader. You can always learn a specific skill that is needed for a job. It's harder to replicate the interdisciplinary range of analytical, critical thinking, and creative skills learned in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences once you enter the workforce. So my advice is that if you want to be a business leader, go for it. Your liberal arts education  has prepared you to succeed.

Given your extensive experience in various leadership roles, what strategies have you found most effective for innovation and collaboration within a team?

 To the extent possible, it is important to create a diverse and complementary team. Populate it with people who have skills that you don't have and don't be afraid to hire people who are smarter than you. You should also create a team structure where there is healthy interdependence among the team members while ensuring each person is accountable for their own defined area of responsibility. Your job as a leader is to create a vision, define the objectives, and hold people accountable. But then get out of the way unless the team asks for your help to remove obstacles. Finally, make sure to recognize both individual and team successes and collectively document lessons learned.

Through your role on the Dean's Roundtable, you've been actively involved in supporting the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and advising leadership. Why is it important to continue supporting your alma mater and how your experiences as an alumnus  influenced your involvement in helping shape the future of the college?

Virginia Tech is a special place. Since graduating I've never stopped feeling a deep connection to the university, my college, Hokie athletics, and everything else associated with Virginia Tech. It is a tremendous honor to serve on the Dean's Roundtable and to support scholarships within the college as a way of paying forward my success to the next generation. I think that no matter what your starting point in life, a college education is the pathway to success. It's a real honor to be in a position to help support the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences in making that possible for students now and in the future.