Are you currently employed? If so, what is your current position?

Currently, I am employed by Ernst & Young (EY) in the TAP program (Technology Advisor Program) within the Financial Services sector of the organization. In simpler terms, I work as a technology consultant for various banks and insurance companies which hire EY for their advisory (consulting) services. I work on a team of consultants, which range from Staff to Senior Manager level, to solve a particular issue or analyze/maintain specific business practices within our clients’ company. To kick off the new position, I was sent to training in Atlanta, GA with new hires from offices all around the country. We learned about EY culture and worked with a team on a project similar to what “real-life” EY advisory teams see. Now, my first (real) project is based in New York City (which is also my home office), but different projects will allow me to travel to clients around the country (and even internationally!).

How do you think the program has prepared you for your chosen profession, and how do you think it helped you obtain your current position?

Before enrolling in the MI program, I obtained my Bachelor's degree in English & Secondary Education and worked as a seventh grade language arts teacher for two years. The MI program was instrumental in bridging the gap between teaching and consulting, allowing me to amalgamate my teaching experience and skill sets with the world of data analysis and management. In my interviews with managers at EY, I thoroughly discussed the concepts and projects I completed in MI courses, such as data analysis, knowledge/information management, competitive intelligence, coding and information systems. The interviewers were very impressed with the diverse skill sets I was exposed to in my MI courses, as well as the degree’s focus on technological innovation.

In your opinion, what are the top 3 skills you learned from the program that make you more qualified in your field?

1. Data analysis: Before my courses in my MI program, I never took any courses in statistics or used data analysis interfaces and languages such as R, Python or SQL. However, the classes I chose delved into these concepts, and provided a large boost to my resume, as well as a central talking point during interviews. Course projects I completed included analyzing customer/rider sentiment towards the NYC subway and Washington, DC metro and predicting the prices of prominent stocks (such as Apple, Microsoft, Tesla) in a given week. These course projects, along with others, have allowed me to apply real-world concepts within the classroom and impressed employers in interviews.

2. Knowledge/Information Management: Similarly, I was not a business major in my undergraduate classes and many (seemingly) basic business concepts were foreign to me. However, MI courses such as Knowledge Management, Interface Design, Management Principles, and Competitive Intelligence have discussed these concepts in detail and also from various perspectives, making my skill set much more competitive in the job market.

3. Fundamental professionalism: When it comes to courses in data analysis and business, students are not just taught how to code in various languages and/or obtain information, but are also taught how to effectively explain that information to a manager, colleague, or other prominent individual. That skill is the cornerstone of the consulting profession, and many other professions as well. My courses in the MI program taught me new hard skills as well as the fundamental social skills that have molded me into a well-rounded professional.

In your opinion, what are the top 3 benefits of the program?  

1. Quality: The professors I had in the MI program have been passionate about the subject matter they taught, and many of them are prominent figures in their fields of study. It is very insightful to learn from individuals who have dedicated their life's work to the course topic. In addition, the professors have been nothing but supportive to me as a student and my career goals; many of them have been ecstatic to write me a letter of recommendation or provide advice for an upcoming interview. All you have to do is ask!

2. Flexible: The MI program can be as broad or specific as you choose. There are multiple concentrations to choose from that align with various professional interests; however, there is also the option to pursue a general "MI" degree, which offers the flexibility to take any MI course. Also, students can pursue the degree on a full-or-part time basis and have ample time to finish the requirements.

3. Size of program: The enrollment in the program is relatively small, which means more intimate interactions with those involved in the program (students, professors, administrative individuals, etc). I never had an issue contacting the director of the MI program or the coordinators of my concentration to ask any questions, voice my concerns/feedback, or pursue course advisement. The discussions I have had with those involved in the MI program have been nothing but positive and have made me feel as though my voice is extremely important. 

Did you attend classes online, on-campus or both? 

I was enrolled as an on-campus student, and took a large majority of my courses on-campus. Overall, on-campus courses offer the chance to meet professors and classmates in person, and develop strong connections with those individuals. However, two of the courses required for my concentration were only offered in online format. While I was apprehensive about taking courses online, I found the discussion and content was just as insightful in the online courses as they were in the in-person courses.