Student Perspective: Brian Rycyna (MSBA ’21)

Brian Rycyna, a 2021 Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) candidate, shares how our Chicago-based program gave him the freedom to balance his student life and home life.

Why did you choose to pursue a business analytics degree?

I chose analytics because it was a more technical degree to advance my practical skill set. This was the only degree I felt it was worth the investment of time and energy and life-disruption, and where the majority of what we learn is practical and applicable in everyday business situations.

What obstacles or challenges have you overcome throughout your student journey, and how did you find success despite them?

My biggest challenge was balancing the program with work and my young family with three children. If this were not a one-year program, I most likely wouldn’t have attempted it and put that strain on the family. However, it is possible to find the time – even with a condensed format – and the year goes quick.

Why did you choose Notre Dame, specifically the Chicago-based program, to pursue your M.S. in Business Analytics?

As an [undergraduate] alumnus of Mendoza, I knew the MSBA Chicago program would have a strong ethical foundation, which I feel is important in any scenario, but especially with the advancing world of data. Also, since I live outside of Chicago, it was important to have an in-person experience with the professors and my classmates instead of purely online learning.

What would you say to others who might be considering Notre Dame’s MSBA Chicago program?

Do it! As someone interested in analytics, I’d been aware of the program for about six years. Even though it is a challenge to balance, I couldn’t be happier with finally joining the program. If analytics interests you, you’ll feel this is exactly where you should be and what you should be doing, the same way I do.

How has the MSBA Chicago program helped you define your professional goals?

By broadening my understanding of analytics and adding skill sets, I’ve been able to redefine what I can offer as a professional. With each course I feel I’m able to rethink what is possible and set new goals and interests.

How can what you’ve learned from your time in the MSBA program help you do more good in the world?

Each course has some ethical component to it, so it isn’t just a program with an ethics course. With each technical step of the journey through the program, we also learn to think critically with those techniques and when and how to find the opportunities to grow the good.