For years, Dan Montagna, Makpar’s Senior Director of Delivery Operations, worked toward a goal of bringing his professional experience into the college classroom. This fall, he achieved this goal when he became an adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU).
Dan teaches Introduction to Management Information Systems, helping students understand how people, processes, technology, and information work together to support strategy and decision-making.
“Technology decisions are rarely just technology decisions,” Dan said. “They are business and leadership decisions that affect people, culture, risk, and an organization’s ability to adapt.”
That lesson is increasingly important as artificial intelligence changes how organizations operate. Dan encourages students to consider not only what technology can do, but when it should be used, how it can be governed responsibly, and how leaders can help people navigate change.
A Journey Shaped by Others
Dan’s path to the classroom was years in the making, shaped by the people, institutions, and professional experiences he encountered along the way. The journey began while Dan was working at Paragus IT, where the company had partnered with Bay Path University, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College on a cybersecurity program. Through that initiative, Dan had the opportunity to lead participating college students.
“That experience really gave me the teaching bug,” Dan said. “It showed me how rewarding it can be to help students connect what they are learning in the classroom with what they will encounter in the real world.”
In the years that followed, Jeffrey Clark invited Dan to speak with students about project management on several occasions at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management.
Dan’s volunteer work and speaking engagements with PMI Southern New England Chapter (PMI SNEC) eventually led to relationships with faculty and leadership at CCSU. With the support of Mohammed Abubakar and Dr. Michael Gendron, he was able to take the next step from guest speaking and mentoring to serving as an adjunct professor.
Dan is quick to credit the mentors, educators, colleagues, leaders, and team members who shared their knowledge and experiences with him throughout his career.
“It’s rare for someone to reach a milestone like this alone,” he said. “We all build on the knowledge and experience others have shared with us. Teaching is one way I can honor those investments by helping students benefit and build from the lessons that were shared with me.”
Professional Development in Action
Makpar played an important role in Dan’s journey, supporting him while he pursued his MBA and providing the trust and flexibility that allow him to teach while continuing to lead within the company.
For Dan, that support reflects Makpar’s commitment to professional development and one of its core values: Uplifting Communities.
“Professional growth is not only about earning a degree, receiving a promotion, or developing a new capability,” Dan said. “Its greatest value is realized when we apply what we have learned and use it to create opportunities for others.”
Dan’s experience illustrates how employer support can extend beyond formal education, giving employees opportunities to apply what they learn, pursue meaningful goals, and share their expertise with others.
By bringing real-world leadership experience into the classroom, Dan is helping emerging professionals better understand the relationship among business, technology, and organizational change. He is also continuing the cycle of learning, mentorship, and service that helped shape his own career.
Makpar is proud to support employees as they grow professionally and share their time, knowledge, and talents with the communities around them.
At Makpar, Uplifting Communities means supporting our people as they share their time, knowledge and talents with others. Learn more about Makpar Cares and how our team is giving back to the communities around us.
