I worked as a systems engineer for Fidelity Investments, India, after completing a bachelor's degree at the Bangalore Institute of Technology. While I was there, I realized my true passion was interacting with people while helping teams develop solutions. How could I move forward?
SPU's MS-ISM courses seemed to have a good mix of courses to help me leverage my IT skills while developing newer management skills. I'm already seeing this happen in my current work as a business analyst at Nordstrom.
Getting to SPU wasn't that simple, however. Though I read favorable reviews online and heard good things from a couple of friends, I was still a bit hesitant about pursuing my master's degree at SPU. Initially I thought I would just take a few courses and later transfer to a different university. But when I discovered the genuine interest my professors had for their students, I knew I wanted to continue here.
SPU offers a diverse mix of people, with several working in blue chip companies such as Boeing and Microsoft. These people bring valuable industry perspective to our learning experience. Classes are small and schedules are tailored for working people. The mentorship program here is top notch.
I was also initially hesitant to take "Christian Ethics," but Dr. Baker helped me realize the importance of faith to help us apply moral principles in our business decisions. He also inspired me to take an extra step to dig into my own faith.
Today I see multiple benefits to my education at SPU. The late-evening class times enabled me to work full time while also pursuing an education to develop new skills. It's very satisfying to apply what I learn to real-world job situations, and get positive feedback from my peers and managers at Nordstrom for my contribution to the team's success.