Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background and what brought you to Kelley?
I am from Lima, Peru and have a degree in computer science from PUCP University (Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru). Before enrolling in the Kelley MBA program, I worked for several international organizations in their subsidiaries in Lima, where my work experiences were always focused on data analytics and business intelligence. What brought me to Kelley was first and foremost the passion and the pride with which fellow alumni spoke about their experiences with the program. When I was accepted into the MBA program, I felt the school really wanted me there, which was very important to me. And to be honest I did not feel the same when I was accepted into other school’s MBA programs. Furthermore, the prestige in Marketing that the school has, as well as the focus that the school was giving the analytics major were also important deciding factors. Kelley’s values strongly resonate with me and my personality—especially being in a collaborative environment, always striving for excellence, and becoming a better version of myself. Finally, the fact that it was a top 25 MBA program in the US, had relatively small classes and close faculty‐students relationships, and a beautiful campus were additional reasons to make up my mind.
Why did you decide to pursue the MBA/MSIS joint degree?
My decision to pursue an MBA was mainly to validate my business experience and solidify my career. However, I was not planning to completely switch careers—I wanted to remain in the data analytics field, perhaps with a more marketing-oriented profile. That is why the MBA/MSIS came to me as a surprise at first but was exactly what I had been looking for. I knew the school-work burden would be heavier than just doing the MBA, but after analyzing the situation, I decided that the benefits of the program would greatly outweigh the sacrifices. And with my background in IT, I felt the program would reinforce the areas I had already studied and would update my knowledge of new technologies, practices, and frameworks. Moreover, the possibility of getting a STEM degree was very appealing since I was planning to remain in the Data Analytics field and in most cases these roles require are STEM-oriented. Lastly, I saw it also as an opportunity to network with people in the tech industry—a sector I wanted to break into after finishing my degree.
What sticks out to you most about how the joint MBA/MSIS prepared you professionally for your current role?
What sticks out to me the most is being able to understand how different technologies are coupled together to leverage business initiatives—whether to provide the organization flexibility, agility, efficiency or new capabilities in developing new products/services to their customers. The joint MBA/MSIS degree gave me the additional and necessary tools to speak both IT technical and business languages and to become a bridge between those two worlds, which is something many organizations are looking for in future employees.
Do you have any advice for students pursuing or considering pursuing the joint MBA/MSIS?
My main advice to students pursuing the joint MBA/MSIS degree is to seize the moment, learn as much as you can, and really grasp as much knowledge as you can from your professors. Talk with them, share doubts and ask for advice. And I would emphasize that they should be strategic in deciding what roles they want to pursue and how they want to get those roles and prioritize what they need to focus on to obtain them.