MSM Alumni Spotlight: Raisa Karim

Raisa Karim completed her Master of Science in Management in 2021. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida in 2020. Today, she is a Site Merchandising Assistant for Macy’s.

Q: Tell us about your background.

Karim: “I am from Delray Beach, Florida. I’m a double Gator and graduated with my undergraduate BA in political science in May 2020. I recently got married, moved to NYC with my husband, and graduated from the online MSM program in December 2021. I now reside in Flushing, Queens and work in site merchandising for Macy’s corporate!”

Q: Why did you join the MSM program?

Karim: “I didn’t feel ready to enter the workforce or apply for political science Ph.D. programs. I also wanted to explore alternate career paths and continue my education. My advisor told me about the MSM program, which was perfect for me as a non-business major. I was attracted to the flexible and real-world nature of the coursework. With financial aid available, the program was affordable for me, and the online format allowed me to work full time.”

Q: What advice do you have for those thinking of doing the MSM program?

Karim: “If you are still on the fence about this program and know that you can afford it, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you make the decision: Do you consider yourself to be a leader OR would you like to grow your leadership skills to become one? If your current field is not business, is there a chance you may want to switch careers in the future? The MSM program can help you add qualifications for leadership positions and can help you obtain jobs in business even without an undergraduate business background.

If you are certain about entering the MSM program, I encourage students to select elective courses that they genuinely think they will enjoy! It’s worth the time it takes to research every course and professor to see if they’re good fits for you and your schedule. In the past, I have emailed professors during course selection to ask if they have any drafts of the syllabus. You should also try to consider courses you normally wouldn’t. I took many courses that were really fun and informative that have also been very applicable to my job post-grad. Some of those courses were ones I thought would be uninteresting for me, but I challenged myself to consider subject matter that was outside of my comfort zone. For example, I thought supply chain would be boring, but my supply chain courses were some of my favorites and most applicable to my job!”

Q: Tell us about your journey from the MSM program to Macy’s.

Karim: “The MSM program opened many doors for me. If you asked me two years ago if I thought I would have a career in business, I may have told you no. I was very single-minded with my political science studies and saw myself having a career in government or research. However, as that changed and I became more interested in alternate career paths, I found that the MSM program was right up my alley. During the MSM, I was able to continue participating in political science research opportunities on campus while also broadening my horizons in business.

Eventually, through conversations with my career advisor Debra Marcum, I decided to pursue an LDP (leadership development program) or similar. During my time in the MSM program, my husband and I got married and he got a job in NYC. As such, I moved to NYC in my final semester of the program and looked for development programs in the area. Luckily, Macy’s was hiring for their EDP (executive development program). Being very familiar with Macy’s and wanting to get into the fashion industry, I eagerly applied and was elated to be given an offer! I have since completed the 8-week EDP and am now a site merchandising assistant for the handbags team.”

Q: Tell us three fun facts about you.

Karim: “In my spare time, I enjoy making costumes to wear to comic-cons. I like to try weird food combinations. My favorite is dipping French fries in vanilla soft serve! I have a cat named Cake because she loves to nibble on sweet pastries.”