Jed Raynes (MSBA’23) on the Importance of Networking and Building Connections

As the spring semester comes to a close, Georgetown McDonough is pleased to commemorate the accomplishments of the Class of 2023. This year’s graduating class demonstrated immense commitment, discipline, and determination to reach this milestone, and we are proud to recognize their achievements as they embark on their next chapter as Hoya alumni. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting several of the exceptional students in the Class of 2023 as they share their personal stories, reflect on their time on the Hilltop, and preview what the future holds after commencement.

Working at PwC in Washington, D.C., Jed Raynes (MSBA’23) has already been exposed to business analytics in a real-world setting, but the M.S. in Business Analytics program provided him with new and relevant hard and soft skills that have already positively impacted his career. 

Here, Raynes encourages future MSBA students to take advantage of the networking opportunities made available through the program, and why knowing your audience is a key component when it comes to reaching various groups of people in the business world. 

What is your favorite memory or proudest moment from your time at Georgetown?

My favorite memory at Georgetown was the in-person residencies during the MSBA program. Despite being primarily online, I’m grateful the MSBA program had in-person sessions where I could network with my classmates inside and outside of the classroom.

How do you plan to apply the skills you have learned at Georgetown in the next phase of your career?

The obvious answer is leveraging the technical skills that I have learned in the program in my current professional role and in any side projects. In addition to that, I plan on leveraging the soft-skills I have taken away as well, such as writing executive reports and presenting recommendations and insights in the next phase of my career.

What is one of the most important lessons you have learned while at Georgetown?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned at Georgetown is knowing your audience. The MSBA program is project-focused which gives students hands-on, real-world experience – from cleaning and aggregating data to report writing and presenting insights. A common theme I experienced across classes was that, even with all of the cool analyses we performed, we should consider our audience and convey the data-driven insights in a compelling yet easily-understandable way.

Is there a particular person in the Georgetown community that has been instrumental to your success?

While everyone from program management to classmates, to professors have been instrumental to my success, I’d like to particularly thank Sudipta Dasmohapatra. She helped shape a relevant and rigorous curriculum, served as a mentor for all students, and even shared her expertise in analytics as a professor. The program was well run and I was fortunate enough to have her guidance during my time at Georgetown. 

What are your post-graduate plans?

My post-graduate plans are to apply the skills I learned at Georgetown and to continue to develop in my current professional role. I’m currently working in M&A analytics at PwC so the curriculum learned in the MSBA program is applicable to my day-to-day tasks.

What advice would you give to future Georgetown MSBA students?

I’d say the program isn’t just a learning opportunity, but also a networking opportunity. Through the various group projects, residencies, and the capstone project, you get to meet a lot of smart people. In addition to learning all of the amazing technology in the curriculum, spend some time with your classmates outside of class when you can. The residency is a great time to do that!