Student Perspective: Bernard Akatu, MSBA ’20

I work in higher education, at an organization that is deeply committed to being a force for good in the world. Similar to others in our industry, my organization is faced with a variety of business challenges involving its people and resources. In the current environment, I see ample opportunities for data-driven decision-making to play a critical role in enabling the organization to evolve in areas such as talent acquisition, organizational development, workplace culture and so much more. For me, I made the decision to enroll in the M.S. in Business Analytics program at Notre Dame because I believed it would supplement my professional experience and prepare me to lead efforts to bridge the gap between my organization’s bold aspirations and present realities.

Since enrolling in the program, the experience has far exceeded my expectations. For starters, the program is grounded in comprehensive and rigorous academic coursework designed to incorporate knowledge from all aspects of the data analytics process. In addition, my professors have been great. Not only are they leaders in their respective fields, but they care deeply about each student’s desire to learn, are passionate about their work, and routinely make themselves readily available to the entire cohort.

Prior to enrolling in this program, I had limited experience with team-based learning. But I have been pleasantly surprised to find that the teams were put together in a very thoughtful way. Each team is comprised of peers from diverse industries and skillsets. During our time together, our working relationships have regularly supplemented my learning outside of class. The team has provided a supportive environment, allowing me to balance the needs of my coursework and full-time job. As I apply the skills I have learned to projects at work, my collaboration with colleagues has benefited greatly.

I am pleased about the decision to obtain my MSBA from Notre Dame. At its essence, the program will enable me to make a more meaningful contribution to advancing my organization’s goal of educating the next generation of leaders, and advancing research and scholarship to improve the lives of people everywhere.