Blake Wheelock
Class of 2019
Hometown: Lynchburg, VA
Undergraduate University: University of Virginia
Class Year: 2014
Major/Minor: Political Science
Employer: Booz Allen Hamilton
Position: Senior Consultant Data Scientist
Why did you decide to pursue an MSBA degree?
Growing up, I thought I was going to be a lawyer. After graduating from my undergraduate studies, I worked in politics for a few years and decided it wasn't for me. I decided to pivot away from politics and get into business. I looked at emerging technologies, saw the direction it was headed, and realized that I needed more hard skills to truly succeed.
Why did you ultimately decide to enroll in William & Mary's MSBA program?
It was an established in-state program, and the admissions process was incredibly smooth because of the helpful Admissions team. It had all the technical skills and classes I wanted, and William & Mary, in general, felt like a great place for me and a great place to earn a graduate degree.
How do you plan to be an Agent of Change with your MSBA degree?
I want to help demystify some of the aspects of Business Analytics and technology. What I learned in the program can help every business sector, and if we can get regular people to understand how all this works, hopefully, they will not be scared of the change it can bring, and people will also want to use it to improve their own lives.
How would you describe our program to a prospective student?
The professors, community, and fellow students are all great. They really helped me when I was down, whether it was because I was stuck on a problem for hours or a subject we were learning was not clicking for me. I am a liberal arts, soft-skills kind of guy, and if I was able to get through the math and coding parts of the program, then you will too. You will have to lean on your classmates, and that's okay! I discovered early on that if I had a question, then at least some of my classmates did as well. You are here to learn. If you knew it all already, you wouldn't be in the program. Be bold! It will serve you well.
