A Conversation with Incoming Minerva Graduate Student Tala Allulu

This is part of a series of profiles introducing students from Minerva’s incoming Fall 2025 graduate class. If you would like to learn more about our programs, please visit our website.

Born and raised in Saudi Arabia to a Palestinian family from Gaza, Tala’s story spans borders. After moving to Turkey for her undergraduate studies, she has now graduated with honors in both a degree in Aviation Management and a minor in International Relations and Political Sciences from Istanbul Aydin University. As she steps into the professional world as a graduate, Tala is now beginning a full-time role at a coffee trading company. Growing up in Jeddah, a city strongly characterized by its booming coffee culture, Tala has successfully blended her interest in management and the art of coffee making, all while preparing to begin the Master's in Decision Making and Applied Analytics (MDA) program at Minerva University.

“Graduating from a high school that commended the application of concepts with projects, I was a bit disappointed when I first started my undergraduate studies. With many professors preferring traditional theory-based lectures, the university taught me the basic concepts. However, I slowly began to realize that I can not succeed without the real-life application of said concepts. When a friend of mine introduced me to Minerva University's active learning model, I immediately recognized it as the approach I wanted to pursue in my education. Currently working at a company founded by a fellow Minervan, I’ve observed his success and how he trusts other Minervan students to work alongside him—highlighting his strong confidence in the institution, which reaffirmed my decision.”

Tala began exploring master’s programs because education holds deep meaning for her as a personal compass for navigating the world. She chooses to continue her journey of learning and growth in hopes that one day she will be able to contribute and give back to her own community.

“I definitely picked Minerva because of the idea of applied learning. Although I technically have not started my graduate degree yet, Minerva already makes me feel like I am actively learning. I am currently completing my summer prep modules, and I just love the way they are facilitated. I wanted to be a student at a university that is understanding of the idea that standard lectures have limited effectiveness. I cannot be more excited to start my first semester."

Tala is committed to using her upcoming educational experience as a foundation for professional growth and success.

“I believe that the more equipped an individual feels, the better they perform. At my previous university, while some dear professors recognized my passion and supported my growth, the theory-heavy modules sometimes left me feeling less prepared for the workplace. I also have a deep feeling of responsibility, of having to excel, because of my roots. I do not want my ancestors’ sacrifices to go to waste; I want my work and efforts to speak for me.”

Lastly, Tala reflects on why she thinks it is essential for leaders to make data-driven decisions:

“With my background in aviation, I know there is no room for error—people’s lives can be at stake. At other organizations, there’s risk too—such as loss of customer trust or brand loyalty. Being able to make information-based decisions as an employee highly impacts an organization. If an employee is unable to make good decisions, they are inevitably going to become a liability for that company. They are not only going to make losses for the company, but also damage their own professional reputation. Thus, I believe Minerva’s MDA is perfect for anyone looking to advance their career by developing the skills to make strategic, evidence-based decisions.”