“Metropolitan College’s ABA program was exactly what I was looking for”

What motivated you to earn your master’s degree at this point? Why did you choose to fulfill your goal at Metropolitan College?

While I was constantly learning through my work experience at my previous employer, I felt like I needed something extra to continue my professional development. In a field like data analytics, if you are not making an active effort to stay current with emerging trends, you are effectively falling behind. The content of Metropolitan College’s ABA program was exactly what I was looking for from a technical perspective, and the flexibility of an online program allowed me to balance the degree with a full time job, family, and life’s many other obligations.

What do you find most fascinating about the discipline of Applied Business Analytics? Do you have a particular focus within the broader field?

To me, the best part of the ABA program is the balance between the technical aspects of data analytics/science and the broader implications of those methodologies to the underlying business at large. This midpoint between technical and business is where I have tried to position myself professionally, and as a business intelligence analyst I often act as a translator of sorts, that has a good understanding of the business, but also an understanding of how to leverage data to assist in accomplishing business initiatives.

Congratulations on your high achievement in the Applied Business Analytics program and your Award for Excellence in your studies! Looking back, what do you consider to be the main ingredients of your success?

Honestly, the fact that I genuinely enjoy working with data was a big factor. The feeling you get when a model starts working as intended, your query finally yields the expected results, or the dashboard comes out just right gives a sense of accomplishment akin to finishing a Sudoku or solving a riddle. Enjoying the work makes you much more likely to take that extra step to make your product just a little bit better than you otherwise would.

How were you able to successfully balance your studies with your commitments outside the classroom?

Time management. The seven-week courses go quickly, and sometimes the assignments take longer than anticipated, so not procrastinating and having a plan was key.

Can you share any examples of skills, principles, or practices learned in the program that you were concurrently able to apply to your job?

Obviously, there are the technical skills that I frequently use, but I think the soft skills that you take away from formal degrees like the MSABA are often undervalued. In data analytics, people often build flashy or highly technical reports or dashboards that fall flat because they don’t offer any real actionable insights and you’re left saying, “Okay, that’s cool, but what can I do with this information?” For me, the course content and assignments in the ABA program have made me think more about that next question during development, which I think ultimately leads to a better product.

What’s next for you? Has your career evolved since your time at BU MET? Would you say that your program helped prepare you for the next phase of your professional life?

I’ve been in my current role for over 18 months, after being with my previous employer for about 10 years. We’re currently undergoing some exciting data-centric initiatives that I will be playing a key role in, so I’m looking forward to contributing to those and seeing the resulting growth, both personally and for the credit union. The ABA program has definitely helped prepare me to contribute in more ways than I otherwise would have been able to.

You were recognized by faculty and peers for your hard work and dedication to the Applied Business Analytics program. Any words of wisdom you would like to pass along to students starting in the program?

Working full time and maintaining some aspect of a social life while getting your master’s is a lot. I was fortunate to have a good support system around me and for that, I am very thankful. Even with a good support system in place, it can at times still feel burdensome, if not overwhelming. My best advice would be to take it one day, one week, one course at a time, and use the time off between courses to recharge as best you can. Metropolitan College offers you the flexibility to take your courses at your pace, whatever that may be, so take advantage of that, and all the other great resources they offer.