Student Spotlight: Deepthi Jayachandran, MS-MIS Candidate 2015

Deepthi Jayachandran

Full-time MS-MIS 2015

Field of Work: Data analytics

Undergraduate Degree: MS in Software Engineering. (5-year integrated program)

Undergraduate School: PSG College of Technology, Tamil Nadu India

Career Goal: Want to work as a Business Analyst in one of the big 4 companies

Organizations Involved With: INFORMS (Treasurer)

Internships: eBay, Chennai India.  Mu Sigma Business Solutions, Bangalore India

Favorite Chicago Activities/ Places: I love walking around Millennium Park.

Favorite Chicago Restaurants: I like Blue Frog’s Local 22

Favorite Part of the Day: Evenings just before sunset when there is a cool breeze

Hometown: An industrial town called Coimbatore in the southern part of India in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Tell us about your personal and professional background?

I am married to my boyfriend of 8 years. I have known him since high school and we got married a year ago. I moved to the US a week after I was married and 6 months later he moved to the U.S. too. He lives in Atlanta Georgia and works for GE. I am the second child in a family of four. My father is a doctor, who has an MD in Medicine and works with a teaching hospital. My mother is a homemaker who has been a rock of support for me through the years. I have an older brother who works at Dell in Austin, Texas.

I started my career as an intern at eBay in Chennai. I worked for 7 months as a Java developer. That is where I figured out I didn’t want to be a Programmer. My second internship was with Mu Sigma Business Solutions in Bangalore, India where I got to work as a Business Analyst. I moved to Hewlett Packard to work as a Marketing Analyst and wanted a career in this direction. This is why I chose MS-MIS to make sure I am headed on the right path and work as an Analyst.

What factor(s) did you consider when choosing a Master’s program and why did you choose UIC Liautaud for your graduate study?

I wanted a career in the IT field but not as a Programmer. I enjoyed working with large amounts of data. Since my basic education was in programming, I had added skills that made me very good at my job. I wanted to further specialize in those added skills and decided to study Management Information Systems as it was a combination of technical and business studies. The MS-MIS program at UIC Liautaud was perfect for me. I liked the subjects that were offered and it gave me the flexibility to choose the field I wanted to concentrate in.

We all know that people pursue graduate school to increase their business knowledge, but since you have started the program, what has been the most unexpected gain the program has given you?

I have learned to work in groups. I have learned to be more patient with group members and to maintain a good work environment while working in groups with people from different backgrounds.

Which class/professor has been your favorite thus far and why?

I enjoyed the Marketing and E-Marketing courses as they were highly interactive and had real-world relevant examples in both classes.

UIC Liautaud professors are continuously involved in researching new business trends and innovations. How have you felt the professors have been able to integrate their theoretical knowledge into practical applications? Do you have any examples?

The case study-oriented subjects were wonderful to study. We had new and old case studies relevant to the subject matter and proved a wonderful learning experience for me.

What is your favorite aspect of the UIC campus and why?

My favorite place is the library which is a wonderful place to study on my own or work in groups.

What advice would you provide to incoming UIC Liautaud students?

Be prepared to work hard and learn to balance work and play.

Many courses require students to complete a project that applies course concepts to real-world situations. If you have had a course project that was very insightful, what course was it for and what did you like about the project?

I worked with Daufenbach Camera as part of the applied consulting course. It was very exciting for me to work with the clients and make sure we delivered what they expected. It threw light on a consultant’s job for me. I loved the experience.

What is the best part about your UIC Liautaud experience?

The people. I have met so many different people and had the opportunity to work with so many students and faculty alike. It has been a fun first year! I’m looking forward to one more.