Erica Wiens
Class of 2019
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
Undergraduate University: Carroll College
Class Year: 2018
Major/Minor: Mathematics/Computer Science
Current Employer: NVR, Inc.
Position: Data Scientist
Why William & Mary's MSBA program?
During my senior year of undergraduate school, I knew I wanted to do some sort of master's program, but I wasn't sure exactly what kind of program I wanted to do. I applied to a couple of Applied Math master's programs, but around the same time, I took a machine learning class and decided that I was interested in data science and wanted to pursue a career using data to find solutions. I happened to read one of the emails William & Mary's MSBA program sent me, and despite being relatively late in the game with the application process, the Admissions team worked with me to turn around my application quickly. It's the only program of this type that I applied to.
Discuss some of the highlights you enjoyed in the program.
My experience was a little different from a lot of my peers. I joined the synchronized swimming team as soon as I came to William & Mary. It was a very tiny club. There were only four of us on the team, but that is where I personally found my outlet in the William & Mary community. I also enjoyed being in the B-school, working with all of my peers, and learning about where they came from, as well as the history of the school and the area.
What excites you about the field of Business Analytics?
There is so much we can learn from the data that we're creating. It's really amazing how we can turn what's essentially a series of zeros and ones into actionable insights to improve a business. I love the programming aspect of data and business analytics. My dream job is to be a consultant working on different projects and exploring the fields of business by building models from the ground up for clients.
How would you describe our program to a prospective student?
This program teaches you how to be technically minded. There is a business component where you learn how to effectively communicate with clients or colleagues who aren't technically focused. But if you are a high-level thinker searching for a more in-depth understanding of how data can be used to create an actionable insight, this is the program for you.
