Pictured above: Gina Cirrincione T’25 and members of Tuck's and MilkMate's leadership teams celebrate the opening of the MilkMate room at Tuck, the first college campus to offer the unique breast-pumping solution. | Photo by Laura DeCapua
When coming to Tuck, I knew I wanted to learn more about the early-stage startup world. My “Why Tuck” essay and interview answers focused on how Tuck was the perfect fit for me because of the close-knit community and dedicated alumni network. I believed those elements, combined with hands-on entrepreneurial classes and experiences, would solidify that a startup path was right for me.
Before Tuck, I worked at a large medical device company with a strong entrepreneurial culture and, later, at a recently acquired meal subscription business. Both experiences showed me that I thrive in a high-energy, fast-paced work environment where job descriptions change frequently. Combining my experience in medical devices and consumer products made MilkMate, a revolutionary breast-pumping solution for the workplace, a perfect fit.
MilkMate is a seed-stage b2b start-up that is transforming how women breast pump at work. From day one at MilkMate, I was instantly bought in. I worked on numerous projects throughout the summer, including defining the process for creating MilkMate’s value statement, developing marketing materials for a new product launch, and researching new customer service management platforms. MilkMate is a small, but mighty, team of seven full-time employees. It was exhilarating to walk into the company on day one, sit at the leadership table, and work on projects and tasks that immediately impact the business.
My summer at MilkMate solidified that an early-stage environment is most conducive to my personality. In an ambiguous but still rigorous environment, I was tasked with being creative while stepping out of my knowledge comfort zone to move projects forward. The first few weeks were extremely uncomfortable. I had to become an expert and recommend solutions for projects in functional areas I had never worked in, like HR and customer service. However, I enjoyed the challenge of drawing upon my previous experiences and utilizing my knowledge to solve new business problems. I enjoyed becoming the resident expert in something new and presenting it to the entire team, including the CEO, to gain buy-in. I also greatly improved my verbal and written communication skills at the table with the company’s leaders.
I gained invaluable experience this summer, but what I am most proud of is helping to bring MilkMate to Tuck. With the support of Tuck leadership, specifically Steve Lubrano, we introduced a new wellness offering to our community that helps breast-pumping mothers better balance their home, work, and school priorities. It means a lot to me to have played a role in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for mothers at Tuck. By helping to bring MilkMate to our community, I feel that I’ve taken a meaningful step toward acknowledging and addressing the unique challenges women, especially mothers, face in balancing personal and professional goals. This initiative not only demonstrates Tuck’s commitment to wellness and inclusivity, but also reflects my personal values of fostering spaces where everyone can thrive. Knowing that this service can make a difference in the lives of my peers is incredibly fulfilling and motivates me to continue advocating for initiatives that empower others.
This was a successful summer for my personal and professional growth, and I would be remiss not to reflect on the experiences during my first year at Tuck that prepared me for it. Key entrepreneurial courses like E-Thinking and Winning New Products and Services played a crucial role in this process because they provided me with safe spaces to experiment and fail in an entrepreneurial setting, which ultimately made me a more creative problem solver. Additionally, working at TuckStuff allowed me to apply these lessons in a real business setting, helping me build the confidence to communicate effectively and make key decisions.
I am excited to continue working with MilkMate as an associate throughout my second year as they continue to revolutionize the breast-pumping experience at work.
Gina Cirrincione, a member of the Tuck MBA Class of 2025, is from Elk Grove Village, IL. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Supply Chain Management and Marketing. Before Tuck, Gina gained five years of experience in the medical device and food industries, working in Product Management at Medline Industries and in Product Commercialization and Operations at Factor/HelloFresh. She is passionate about driving innovation and operational excellence across diverse industries.
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