Austin Obiora Okwudili

"The applied learning focus emphasizes real-world experiences, which will be valuable when entering the workforce."

Graduate Intern, The Hershey Company

Harrisburg, PA

MBA Management Information Systems

Why did you decide to attend Saunders College of Business at RIT?

Although I may be biased, given my background is in Computer Science, I believe the future of business is in technology. Therefore, I was immediately attracted to the Saunders College of Business due to it's affiliation with RIT. Given that RIT is recognized amongst the best programs in the country, in a location that I love, it was an easy decision for me. Receiving a partial scholarship was just the icing on the cake.

What's great about your co-op?

I worked as a Graduate Intern in the Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA) group of the The Hershey Company. I created data-driven analytical solutions that enabled business units to explore, visualize, and manipulate data to provide valuable insights that drive category growth. Although I had many wonderful experiences during my time at Hershey, my favorite was a predictive model project to forecast trends that would help optimize the procurement of peanuts. In addition to this, I led a cohort of Interns as the Summer Intern Ambassador of the Information Service (IS) department. Our primary focus was to develop novel solutions to grow margins in e-commerce.

In what ways has Saunders/RIT prepared you for the job market?

Personally, I think all the courses I took prior to my co-op experience were really helpful. In relation to my project work, courses like Intro to Data Analytics & Business Intelligence (MGIS 650) and Data Management and Analytics( MGIS 725) were crucial to my success. Given that I coded strictly in R in order to come up with a business solution, I was thankful to have taken these courses. Project Management (MGMT 744), Financial Analysis for Managers (FINC 721) and Organizational Behavior (MGMT 740), all helped me effectively manage the project. I was able to set a definitive scope and timeline, estimate cost savings and return on investment, as well as effectively work with team members within a corporate setting. Lastly, Design and Information Systems(MGIS 735) trained me to think critically about the problem. This ultimately helped me to come up with the best possible solutions for the business.

What do you feel is the most distinctive advantage gained from your Saunders Experience?

The applied learning focus emphasizes real-world experiences, which will be valuable when entering the workforce. In addition to this, you get the latest active learning classroom technology and the resources of one of the largest technical universities in the nation. When you combine the skills and knowledge this program provides, employers can feel confident that a SCB graduate will help their business to compete successfully.