Share this story!

Alumnus Vinay Mullick has a personal mission to make an impact on society, which has been woven into each of the diverse jobs and business endeavors along his career journey. Having earned a B.S. in industrial engineering from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) and a minor in business administration from the College of Business, he parlayed his education into multiple careers and side business, all with the mission to give to others as a social entrepreneur.

“Early in my career I found myself at a crossroads where I wanted more fulfillment and satisfaction in my day job… and to truly help others along the way,” said Mullick.

His first job out of college was with multinational technology company Intel.

“It was an amazing opportunity with one of the top companies in the world,” he said. “I realized I found more satisfaction building equity in people and not as much in a large corporation. Thus, with my entrepreneurial spirit, I was able to find a nice niche fulfilling my entrepreneurial drive by working in the social sector.”

Alumnus Vinay Mullick, ‘00, poses with his MiniJerzeys.

His second career was teaching math and engineering for Chicago Public Schools and serving as athletic and activities director.

“Teaching students to get ready for the real world and life after high school and seeing so many graduate, succeed and excel in life have been some of my proudest moments,” he said.

Today he is the managing director for tech startup company UpMetrics, a firm that provides data analytics support to nonprofits and philanthropy. In 2016, he was one of the company’s first 10 employees, which has now grown to 30. Located in LaGrange, Illinois, Mullick also runs MiniJerzeys, an athletic apparel and award business he founded in 2015 and Monroestar, a web and graphic design company founded in 2002. In each role, he works with schools, nonprofits and small- to medium-sized businesses.

He believes his NIU education set him up for success. The rigorous engineering coursework and involvement in student leadership provided him with a tireless work ethic and valuable interpersonal skills, such as conflict resolution and working with people with diverse backgrounds.

And, his involvement with NIU continues today. He’s a board member of the NIU Alumni Association and served a term on the board of the Engineering Technology Alumni Society. He also established a scholarship for CEET students and regularly speaks to classes on campus.