WMU Haworth student turns passion for data into professional success

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—For business analytics student Kevin Wright, Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business is setting him up for professional success. The senior from Royal Oak, Michigan, is taking on career-focused experiences and widening his professional network.

Wright’s passions are coming to fruition through his in-field experiences, fulfilling his specialized goals.

“I’m very interested in dealing with data for my profession as I find it fascinating how certain companies within the same industry can use data in completely different ways. I have always been interested in the process of how data is incorporated into a company's growth cycle, so it’s very exciting to learn about this through actually doing it in my professional field.”

These insights were put into play through Wright’s internship at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Serving as a project management intern, his main role was to create a Power BI database from a set of Excel spreadsheets so that he could automate a process that was done manually. “This database saves hours of time every single time it is used,” he says. “Its purpose is to calculate the on-time percentage of all records that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan sends out to their partnering provider organizations such as doctors’ offices or hospitals.”

The opportunity to challenge himself is also at the forefront of Wright’s work as a research assistant. “I work with Dr. Smriti Srivastava, assistant professor of business information systems. I assist her with a variety of research tasks that include data analysis and computer programming with Python. It's been a great professional connection, allowing me to really explore all aspects of my major.”

Having had the opportunity to study abroad in Spain last spring, Wright collected invaluable professional understandings through a global lens.

“I had a phenomenal experience in Spain where I learned about business sustainability—and more specifically, how companies in different industries are working toward creating products through sustainable means.”

With plans to graduate this spring, Wright shares some words of advice with his peers at WMU Haworth.

“Take advantage of the resources your professors offer you. Professors truly care about their students and their success, so I encourage all incoming business students to connect with faculty members and not be afraid to stand out and take initiative. There are so many ways to get involved—you just have to find what works for you.”

Learn more about business analytics at WMU.

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