Student spotlight: Gloria Katuka
The Warrington College of Business is full of standout students. No matter their program or major, students are using their time on campus to prepare for impactful careers. This series will feature exceptional students from across Warrington.
With her bachelor’s in Information Systems and Operations management already in hand, Gloria Katuka has become a standout student in the Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management program. Originally from Zaria, Nigeria, Katuka serves as the VP Community Development & Outreach for Association for Information Systems (AIS).
Learn more about what makes Gloria a standout student at the Warrington College of Business.
Q: When did you know you wanted to pursue the MS-ISOM degree, and why was that an interesting option for you?
Katuka: “During my preview session in summer 2016, I was reviewing the course catalog when I stumbled on the combination degree program in Information Systems and Operations Management (ISOM). I knew from that moment that I wanted to pursue the master’s degree in ISOM and worked diligently to ensure that I achieve this goal. I always wanted to work in IT and the MS-ISOM program provides me with the technical skills and business knowledge to stand out and be successful in pursuing an IT career.”
Q: What’s the highlight of your time at Warrington?
Katuka: “Transitioning to the master’s program was definitely the highlight of my Warrington experience. My academic advisor, Jessica Samson, ensured that the transition to graduate school was fluid. She continuously provides me the right guidance and mentorship through the pursuit of my professional and academic careers.”
Q: Where will you be working after graduation?
Katuka: “I will transition to the UF Computer & Information Science & Engineering department to begin my PhD in fall 2020.”
Q: What can we find you doing after class or on the weekend?
Katuka: “During the weekdays, I send my free time in my academic advisor’s office providing prospective MS-ISOM combination degree students with insight from a current student perspective. On the weekends, I enjoy hanging out with friends and co-workers, keeping in touch with my family and friends around the world, catching up on recent episodes of my favorite shows on Hulu, and always looking forward to new and different experiences.”
Q: What’s a fact about you that might surprise other people?
Katuka: “I have 10 brothers and 1 sister. I was born to a family of 8 with 7 older biological brothers and I was the only girl. When I moved to the United States, I met my host family and I gained 3 additional brothers and was blessed to finally have a sister.”
Q: If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?
Katuka: “I would definitely fund my non-profit organization, TeCHarge, which aims to provide middle and high school students from low income households with coding lessons and CS-IT related career resources.”
Q: Is there anything else you’d like the Warrington community to know about you that we didn’t ask about?
Katuka: “For the past year, the MSISOM department has been beyond supportive and instrumental in helping me with developing the programs for TeCHarge. With the help of my department and AIS, TeCHarge has reached about 200 students through our TechTalks , TechTuesdays, and TechConnect Mentorship after school programs. I am beyond grateful to my department’s program director, Janice Carrillo, and my advisor, Jessica Samson, for their continued guidance and mentorship throughout my academic journey in the ISOM program.”
