Alumni Spotlight

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Mike Cortese - headshot photo

Mike Cortese graduated from Millersville University in 2016. He grew up in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and opted to attend Millersville University because of its campus, closeness to family, and its engineering department. Mike majored in applied engineering and technology management with a focus on robotics and control systems. He chose this area of study because he always enjoyed building things and understanding how things worked.

Dr. John Wright was Mike’s professor for multiple classes and made a positive impact on his student experience. Dr. Wright encouraged Mike to join the Millersville University Robotics team, of which he was the supervisor. Mike shared that the Robotics team helped him to further develop his “leadership, teamwork, and technical skills.” Additionally, Mike shared, “It was the perfect place for me. I developed lifelong friendships, and it was a big part of getting me to where I am today in my career.” All in all, Mike believes that “academics are extremely important, but being well-rounded will help you stand out in front of a hiring manager.” One of his previous managers has shared with him that one of the main reasons he was hired was, indeed, because of his involvement in the Millersville University Robotics team.

Currently, Mike is an Enterprise Support Manager (ESM) at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He shared, “As an enterprise support manager at AWS, I manage a team of technical account managers (TAMs) who are the primary technical point of contact for our customers, helping them to plan, review, and oversee ongoing operations of business-critical applications.” Mike’s team specifically focuses on financial services customers. Additionally, Mike was the recipient of the 2022 North East TAM AWS Transformer Award and the 2022 North East Verticals Brand Ambassador Award. In his career, Mike strives to lead his team with “compassion and integrity, while promoting an inclusive work environment and displaying professionalism in all my engagements,” he explains. Through focusing on these values in his career, Mike lives with Millersville University’s EPPIIC Values in mind.

Mike and his wife, Mari, recently married and celebrated their wedding on June 2, 2023, in Philadelphia. Mari is a physical therapist and a fantastic dog mom to their Mini Goldendoodle, Maya. As Mike proudly states, “She’s one of my biggest supporters in my career aspirations.”