Olivia Siegal
Class of 2022
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Undergraduate University: North Carolina State University
Class Year: 2015
Major/Minor: Biological Sciences
Employer: Marathon Consulting
Position: Information Technology Consultant
How is the William & Mary MSBA program supporting your career pivot?
I earned my master's in marine science from William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). My goal was to work as a natural resource scientist at a state agency, and I ended up accepting a position at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. I was a data analyst and spent a lot of time explaining science to non-science audiences. I realized I wanted to move from natural resources being the subject of my analyses, and the program is helping me gain some additional skills to make that professional transition.
Why was the residential format the right fit for you?
I was at a point in my job where I had gotten everything out of it that I wanted, so it was a natural transition point to look at programs. My husband is in the Navy, and we are stationed in Virginia Beach. I thought it was a good time to take a year to fully immerse myself in a program and make that investment for my future career.
What have been some highlights for you during the program?
When I came into the program, I knew a lot about the technical aspects of what we would be doing, but coming from a STEM-biology background, the professional development coaching I had received was very different than what it takes to enter the business world. Tech Day was a highlight because it was one of my first views into what the job search process was going to look like. I also enjoyed the way our teams are structured. It was useful because whereas I had strong technical skills, I lacked business acumen, and others fill in those gaps.
How would you describe the William & Mary MSBA experience?
You're going to experience and be exposed to a lot of different methods and techniques, which will serve as the baseline you need to continue to grow moving forward. The program provides lots of opportunities to practice and pushes you to continually ask questions of the data, which allows you to gain the skills you need to be successful.
