Student Spotlight: Alexis Munguia
Alexis Munguia is a current student in the Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management (MS-ISOM) program. We asked him a little about himself and his time at the UF Warrington College of Business.
Q: Why did you choose to pursue your master’s degree in information systems and operations management?
A: I pursued MS-ISOM, specifically in the Data Science concentration, because I knew that my true passions revolved around statistics. I always knew I wanted to have an impact on the world through math. Given the surge of tech-related opportunities, I also wanted to participate in such an innovative time. If accepted to MS-ISOM, I knew would be part of something bigger than myself.
The MS-ISOM program is a blessing because you don’t need a tech or business background to get started, which was my case. I never thought I would do programming, but here I am. The MS-ISOM program emphasizes having the will to learn, which is something I’ve always had and something I encourage all prospective students to have as well.
Q: What has been your favorite class at UF Warrington so far?
A: My favorite class thus far was Statistical Analysis for Managerial Decisions with Megan Mocko. That class introduced me to programming, where I learned R and formed the basis for my tech skills.
The course goes over the foundational concepts of statistics, which made me realize the art that statistics is, from stating alternative and null hypotheses to making a linear model to prove there is a statistical significance in one of the many variables being tested.
The most important takeaway of the course, and likewise with other MS-ISOM courses, is that we apply math (statistical) concepts and use programming as a tool to answer the original business problem. What was also eye-opening is that these concepts are not just applicable to business problems, but to a whole range of fields.
Q: What’s been the highlight of your time at UF Warrington?
A: The highlight of my time at Warrington is meeting my new friends in MS-ISOM. Whenever I go to class or to a meeting for the Association for Information Systems (AIS), the club exclusively for MS-ISOM students, I am always in awe of my peers.
My friends inspire me to be my best because of how intellectual they all are. I’ve always felt the need to strive harder in my academics and in life upon seeing the successes of those around me. That inspires me because I need to dream bigger and set better goals. My peers set the example of what a student and, moreover, what a person should be.
What is even more inspiring is that the fact that many of my friends also come from non-tech/non-business backgrounds. Through that commonality, we developed friendships with the goal of helping each other through the exciting challenges the MS-ISOM program offers. What gets me motivated is knowing that I am not alone in this journey since my friends have my back and I have theirs.
Q: What are your post-graduation career plans?
A: My post-graduation plan is to find a job! I hope to work for a renowned company that uses what I have learned in MS-ISOM, has a great culture, and does meaningful work.
Q: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
A: I’ll say four!
- Moses Malone, Jason Kidd, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, and I share the same birthday, March 23rd! (Bonus: I am an avid basketball fan!)
- I was named after a boxer! (Bonus: I don’t box!)
- I love watching movies!
- I saw snow for the first time in 2019 when I visited Chicago.
