“When I first got here, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so part of why I chose Manhattan was because it had a lot of options for me to look into. I took some business classes and got put into an intro Computer Information Systems (CIS) class. It was a lot about hardware and computing, and it was really cool. Eventually I also took a programming class, and I made a small app and found that it was really something I wanted to stick with. The Business Analytics co-major started my junior year, so I was one of the first people to be a part of that. It focused on statistical analysis and forecasting, and it really just hooked me.
"Going for the 5-year program wasn’t really a decision I made until my senior year. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to do an MBA, but I talked to a bunch of people and figured it was best to do it seamlessly in five years while I had the chance, rather than get stuck in the workforce and maybe never go back to school. It just seemed like a very natural progression to me. I was looking at other MBA programs as well, but one of the best things about Manhattan University is that I had the opportunity to be a graduate assistant and get some of my tuition paid for, which is really helpful and really beneficial.
"I was also really close with many of the professors here, having had small undergraduate classes. I felt very comfortable with the faculty and the way they teach. Similarly, my MBA courses are pretty hands-on. They’re very discussion-based, and we do a lot of case studies.
"It’s nice that there’s variability within the program — I’m in a data analysis class, a corporate finance class, I took a leadership class. So there are definitely different courses you can take that fit your needs. You have options.
"Because Manhattan is a small school, you have the ability to get involved in a lot of different things, because there’s overlap between programs. For instance, I was going to a lot of professional networking events already, which were run by Beta Alpha Psi, the honor society for CIS, Accounting and Finance students, so I joined. I’m currently the vice president.
"When I was an undergraduate student, a recruiter from UPS gave a presentation on campus. I met up with her afterwards and she gave me her card. Sure enough, I sent her a message and they hired me as an intern for the summer. It’s really helpful to have these kinds of recruiting events on campus. I did quite a bit of statistical analysis and computing, database building and SQL programming at UPS. I learned a lot that summer by getting to go to different events and places like the UPS distribution center. They’re doing a lot of high tech things there, which I found amazing.
"During my senior year, I found another internship by posting my resume on JasperLink, which is the Center for Career Development’s online job board. I had an interview with Argus Information & Advisory Services within a week. This internship was more focused on forecasting and financial analysis. It combined my programming skills with my financial skills, which is something I want to do later on in the real world after I finish my MBA.”