Business Analytics Major Becomes First SGA Treasurer at Worldwide Campus

Michael Lopez is fascinated by the promise of collecting, analyzing and using data to make better business decisions.

The decision to join Embry‑Riddle Worldwide was simple for B.S. in Business Analytics student Michael Lopez (‘22). Virtual learning in college seemed like a natural choice since he had taken online classes in high school.

In his previous role as an assistant at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he gained experience in collecting data, gaining insights, developing reports and designing training programs based on his findings.

Lopez also learned to trade and invest in the financial markets, which fueled his desire to work with numbers and data.

With this experience under his belt, he felt drawn to the B.S. in Business Analytics (BSBA) and decided to join the program.

Learning the Ropes

Thanks to the well-rounded nature of the curriculum, he has been able to build a solid foundation of business knowledge and professional skills that will help him launch his career.

“The information in the classes is holistic,” he said. “It’s not like you’re only learning about data. You learn about presenting, how to use different programs, how to secure information and how to code.”

Courses in the BSBA also incorporate lessons using different software and apps such as Tableau, Open Refine and Microsoft Excel to provide students with the opportunity to gain valuable skills and build their resumes.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Considering his goal of becoming an entrepreneur, the BSBA has been especially useful in helping Lopez prepare.

In one of his favorite classes, Business Law with Professor Raymond Massie, Lopez got the opportunity to learn about creative business plans and different contracts applicable to his own personal needs.

He is interested in starting various kinds of businesses such as home, equipment and vehicle rentals, e-commerce and internet service providers.

Applying New Skills

The business analytics program is also helpful to his position as treasurer of the Worldwide SGA. Since the Worldwide Campus has such a large number of students and the SGA is still in its early stages, Lopez and his team are getting to know their campus better.

To aid in this process, he plans to utilize skills he acquired in the BSBA program to gain a deeper understanding of the Worldwide student body and make better decisions as a student government official.

“I can apply what I’m learning in class to create surveys, collect data from students, gain insights from the results and move forward from there,” he said.

Looking to the Future

Given its bright outlook, business analytics offers a promising future for BSBA students like Lopez. The trending topics of data quality, migration and privacy are what excite him most about this growing field.

“Businesses are looking for quality insights that can come from quality data; organizations are expanding, merging with others, shifting to the cloud or switching platforms and want tools that are robust, efficient and versatile to meet their needs,” he said.

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