Tag: Internships

Meeting Student and Employer Needs with In-Demand Degree Programs

Menlo College makes student success in the workplace a top priority. With a strong academic base, students land highly-sought after jobs through Menlo’s in-demand degree programs. As new Menlo College graduates begin their professional careers, Menlo’s faculty and the Office of Internships & Career Services stay in close contact with these alumni and their employers. Gathering their feedback and taking in current student interests, the College’s leadership makes sure its majors and minors stay ahead of employment trends for years to come.

“A foremost aim of the College is to prepare students for successful and meaningful careers. Menlo values feedback from its graduates and their employers to ensure our students are prepared to enter and lead at the cutting edge of the business world. Our degree programs have changed, and will continue to change, to best align with what the workforce needs – today and tomorrow,” said Provost Grande Lum.

Business Analytics: A New In-Demand Major for Business Students

Menlo College’s Business Analytics Major was formally launched in the 2021-22 school year, led by Dean of the School of Business and Professor of Business Analytics and Data Science Mouwafac Sidaoui and Assistant Professor of Business Analytics and Sports Management Sean Pradhan. Along with coursework, the major requires participation in Menlo’s required internship program. Students pursuing the Business Analytics Major dive into subjects such as big data analytics, coding for analytics, data visualization, technoethics, and digital transformation, and specific topics like thinking like a data scientist. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that job growth for business analysts will reach 15.2% through 2030, with median incomes over $80,000. Countless Bay Area employers that count Menlo alums among their employees, including Amanda Byers ‘13 at Amazon, Ngozi Harrison ‘19 at YouTube, and Brittany Olguin ‘15 at Microsoft, are in search of knowledgeable analysts.

“As an advocate of innovation, creating a major in Business Analytics was a personal endeavor,” said Dean Sidaoui. “Most Business Analytics degrees are offered only to graduate students. Menlo is trailblazing by providing analytics education at the undergraduate level. As companies continue to use big data to drive their business strategies, Menlo is meeting their workforce demand by exposing students to business analytics through this focused major.” 

The Business Analytics Major joins a collection of programs at Menlo that allow students to specialize in-demand fields of study. These students go on to pursue exciting careers using their Menlo education as their base. Bianca-Neme Barros ‘21 secured an impressive job offer at graduation after double majoring in Business Analytics and Finance. At Bain & Company, a Big 3 consulting firm, she will use big data to drive impactful solutions for her clients. Some students have decided to pursue a master degree in analytics or data science after graduating – see below for their stories!

Expanding Menlo’s Business Foundation through the Arts and Sciences

Menlo’s Political Science Minor also officially makes its debut in 2021-22. The program adds to the College’s arts and sciences foundation by joining the newly-designed Minor in Equity and Justice Studies. Students can earn the minor while exploring topics like California politics, civil liberties, and Latinx politics. Many top students have already created their own Political Science major on campus through the Individualized College Major program. These students have gone on to work for political grassroots nonprofits and government officials. Alum Victor Garcia ‘21 studied Politics and Business and pursued work at The Outreach Team as a Campaign Organizer. Now, students focusing on a different major will be able to expose themselves to courses in politics through the dedicated minor.

“As a business college founded on the liberal arts, it is crucial that students at Menlo are exposed to a breadth of classes that empower students to lead better lives and advance society through their careers and elsewhere. Politics play an important role in every person’s life, and to educate students on political science is to support advocacy and social justice,” said Dean Melissa Michelson, the Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Political Science. “Further, what many may not yet realize is how intertwined the spheres of business and politics are. The Political Science minor is a strong complement to Menlo’s specialized business degrees. Students will graduate understanding how to navigate the political climate of their jobs and companies, and their lives more generally.”

Here’s what Menlo students and alumni have to say about these new programs:

“Drawing conclusions from data can help companies make better business decisions. I believe that we are in a changing environment where the emphasis on the tools used within finance and accounting will transition to mainly programming languages and Business Intelligence applications. Therefore, with my Business Analytics major at Menlo, I am well-positioned to solve complex business problems.

I have learned to analyze, cleanse, and extract data using programs like R, Python, Tableau, and SQL in my business analytics courses. Using programming languages to solve complex problems trains your logical thinking and combines several mathematical concepts such as statistics, probability, algebra, and calculus. The skills acquired in mastering analytics become transferable to any career within business, and I highly recommend the Business Analytics program to any student looking for a quantitative job,” Fredrik Ingul ‘22, Private Equity Intern Analyst at Caldicot Capital.

“There has been a shift in the way we approach data, and the business analytics curriculum acknowledges this and prepares students for long-lasting and rewarding careers. On top of learning Python, SQL and Tableau, I was taught how to build artificial intelligence and apply a business lens to algorithms.

Business analytics opened up a new professional world to me, and I think my education gives me a competitive advantage and more high-end job opportunities.  I found the business analytics classes, and learning from industry-leading professionals, so insightful that I have decided to pursue a master’s degree in analytics.” Christian Ingul ‘22, Acquisition Analyst Intern at Storage Corner Group.

“As a student of both Political Science and Business Administration, the opportunities and ideas I generated were limitless. Recently, as a campaign organizer for the Freedom to Vote Act, my main objective was to engage with small businesses to endorse the campaign.

With what I learned from Menlo in both how businesses operate and the political process from state to national government, I strategized and implemented outreach plans that worked. I think students will benefit from a poli sci program as it keeps you civically engaged and helps you understand the internal factors of how businesses operate. You’ll also see the external factors that affect businesses too and learn to move accordingly. Politics truly affects your daily life,” Victor Garcia ‘21, Campaign Organizer at the Outreach Team.

“As a Political Science student, I have direct access to Dean Melissa Michelson, the Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Political Science, who teaches and works in the fields of Political Science and Public Policy. She has taken the time to connect me with regional leaders who tackle issues revolving around affordable housing, financial aid, and immigration. Most recently, I was connected with a Community Engagement professional who hired me to work on a county campaign, tackling systemic disparities.

I have learned that the study of Political Science exists not only to provide students with a form of living after graduation; more importantly, it is intended to educate students on how to advocate and promote the well-being of their community. Students simply need an interest in learning why specific power structures exist and how certain ideas have shaped democratic values. As students enter the workforce, they will be introduced to the various power dynamics their organization practices, and they can either promote or challenge these structures. With the theories and principles taught with this minor, students will acquire a toolkit on how to transform their knowledge into political power,” Diana Guardado ‘23, Social Media Marketing Intern at Hope and Heal Fund.

Learn more about in-demand degree programs and student success at Menlo College:

• Menlo College Minor in Equity and Justice Studies
• Menlo College Student Internship Program Participants Impress Business Leaders
• Four Student Innovators Named to Stanford’s UIF Program
• Menlo College Students Excel in Silicon Valley and the World

About Menlo College

Menlo College was established in 1927. It is a small, private, non-profit, four-year, accredited, residential college located in Atherton, California. Menlo College’s location in Silicon Valley, one of the world’s most entrepreneurial and innovative geographical areas, has enabled the college to create a valuable market niche for its students locally — as well as globally. Menlo College cultivates in its students the skills, integrity, and passion to make meaningful contributions in an innovation economy.