MD Fakrul Islam, corporate tech lead at Whirlpool Corporation

MD Fakrul Islam: Corporate Tech Lead

“Coming to MIU for a master’s in computer science is one of the best, most strategic, and turning-point decisions in my career.”


MD Fakrul Islam is not a typical Computer Science Master’s degree student at MIU. Most of our MSCS students enroll with 1-5 years of professional IT experience. After graduating from SUST in Bangladesh in 2004, Fakrul had 16 years of IoT (Internet of Things) and AI experience in the telecommunication, agriculture, and healthcare industries.

But, he wanted more for his career. When a friend told him about our unique Computer Professionals ProgramSM (ComProSM) which offers an MS in Computer Science with paid practicum for experienced software developers, he applied here.

Fakrul enrolled at MIU in October 2021. After only eight months of courses, followed by our three-week Career Strategies Workshop, he applied for his CPT practicum, got accepted, and began a high-level Tech Lead position doing IoT and Business Integration at the Whirlpool Corporation.

Fakrul is doing his paid practicum at the Whirlpool Corporation as a Tech Lead.

The Whirlpool Corporation is an American multinational manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, headquartered in Benton Charter Township, Michigan, United States. This Fortune 500 company has annual revenue of approximately $21 billion, 78,000 employees, and more than 70 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets its namesake flagship brand Whirlpool, alongside other brands: including Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Gladiator GarageWorks, Inglis, Estate, Brastemp, Bauknecht, Hotpoint, Ignis, Indesit, and Consul.

“My responsibility is cross-functional to work closely with the product team, business team, and technical team.  I lead onsite and offsite developers/engineers to deliver the right product in the right way,” says Fakrul.

Fakrul with colleagues at a party at the Whirlpool Global Headquarters in Michigan.

Fakrul summarizes his experiences at MIU, “Taking admission to MIU for a master’s in computer science is one of the best, most strategic, and turning-point decisions in my career. The faculty, staff, food, accommodation, transcendental meditation, norms, principals, values, as well as the welcoming environment at MIU are different from traditional U.S. universities. Now I find the core values and the science and technology of consciousness in my daily life. This is the right place to concentrate on your studies and creative work.”

Fakrul and classmates relaxing at the park near the MIU campus.

Fakrul is now completing the rest of his classes via distance education. His career goal is to work at the Director or VP level in top IT companies. Personally, he plans to be a good husband, father, and contributor to our society. He feels that the U.S. is a great country of knowledge and expertise, so a perfect place to study and learn the next level of programming. “If anyone has good skills in IT/SW development, they should come to MIU to explore world-class opportunities,” he concludes.