Brandeis International Business School

Shan He, MSBA’21: Using knowledge and skills to find solutions

Shan HeWhy did you choose Brandeis International Business School?

Brandeis International Business School’s reputation in finance and economics, the close connection between faculty and students and the Hassenfeld Immersion Program all caught my eye. I was a finance student as an undergraduate and had just become interested in data analytics. I was looking for a master’s program that could offer the ideal transition to the data and machine learning world, and more importantly, teach me the techniques and mindsets about how to apply them in the real business environment.

What were some highlights of your time at Brandeis?

Brandeis provided invaluable opportunities to take courses in data analysis, economics, business administration and innovation. The professors spent so much time teaching, guiding and mentoring us with passion and professionalism. The discussions and debates I had with my classmates and teammates for case studies and competitions still resonate when I tackle challenges in my daily work.

How did experiential learning help your career?

I launched an independent study project about text mining in the spring of 2020, under the guidance of Prof. Peter Petri. I learned about text extraction and summarization algorithms. This allowed me to utilize data skills and helped me get an internship position at the United Nations Development Programme, where I was able to bring data analysis and machine learning to various workstreams.

The following winter, I worked with two classmates and Prof. Ben Gomes-Casseres on a project gathering new data on climate innovation startups across the Northeast region. Over three and a half months and 50-plus iterations, we pulled data from various sources, processed and analyzed it and presented the findings in a report — Climate Innovation in the Northeast, 2000-2020.

The communication, presentation and collaboration abilities I developed through case discussions and competitions, the modeling and visualization techniques I learned from technical classes, and the research capacity I built through my research projects are now all vital for my daily data and economic policy research work.

How would you describe the learning environment and support services?

I give kudos to the International Business School’s Career Strategies and Engagement team. I was very impressed by the activities they organized, including Industry Treks where you can visit companies and connect with alumni, and panel events that offered job search, interview and industry insights. I would encourage students to spend time digging into the weekly newsletters and attend every event that interests you.

What should prospective students know about the business school?

Brandeis International Business School is a place where you can pursue your professional passion, take the initiative to explore the challenges existing in the industry you’re interested in, and utilize the knowledge and skills you learn from classes to find solutions. This is a place where you will build close connections with students and professors who will always impress you with their sharp minds, energy and professionalism.

Program
Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Job Title
Research Analyst

Employer
International Monetary Fund

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