Brandeis International Business School

What made you choose the Brandeis MSBA program?

I wanted to continue studying data science and was debating between a business or computer science program. The business programs teach more content and applications of the technologies, whereas computer science programs are mainly theory and concepts. The Brandeis MSBA program was brand new and I enjoy being in new programs; they usually have more flexibility and more options for electives. And it’s so close to Boston — just take the bus for 20 minutes and you can find anything you want.

How did your internship fit in with your future plans?

I want to start a business. I have two ideas, one in risk management using AI and one in B2B communications software, so I asked if I could do the startup work as my internship. That’s why I love new programs — they said, “OK, that’s a good idea!”

My career plan when I first applied was to work for a few years in consulting to get knowledge of multiple industries, then start a company. I took an entrepreneurship class with Senior Lecturer Charles Reed, and the guest speakers all said the same thing: Don’t wait. If you want to start something, do it tonight.

What’s made the biggest impression on you at Brandeis?

It was a surprise at first to see that the great majority of students are international. It’s nice to see different perspectives and viewpoints when it comes to conducting business. But I knew the highlight would be the people at Brandeis. You see your classmates four times a day, and that builds great friendships as well as a network.

The faculty and staff are top notch. My advisor, Anna Shur-Wilson, is one of the reasons why I love this program and the Careers office is really strong — almost every week they have a new event or guest speaker and lots of other things to prepare you.

Tell us a bit about your activities outside the classroom.

Brandeis gives you the ability to start new things. I talked to some clubs and faculty members here, and they said I was welcome to start my own workshop series. I did a pilot workshop on machine learning and got positive feedback about it. Seventy percent of the applications for a lot of this stuff is not in the textbook. What we read about can be used in many different ways in various industries and companies. It’s like if you’re given a Lamborghini or a Jeep — you have to know how to apply your driving skills in different ways.