Andrew Singh (MSBA’25) on Creating an Academic Experience that Enriches Professional Goals

Andrew Singh (MSBA’25), a McDonough Student Ambassador, is pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. During the 16-month program, students master how to drive value-based decisions by combining leading-edge analytics and critical business skills.

Singh studied economics and political science at the City College of New York (CUNY), where he developed an interest in working in the public sector, specifically with underserved communities and populations in need. He went on to complete a Master of Public Administration at Baruch College and has held positions at various nonprofit organizations. 

Here, Singh reflects on how he has tailored his experiences in Georgetown’s MSBA program to complement his professional interests in the public sector.

Tell us about your professional background. Why did you choose Georgetown McDonough’s MSBA program?

I fell into the public education and workforce development, technology, and data analytics space through several internships in college. Ultimately, I decided to find a role that combined my professional specialties and personal interests, and launched my career as a program analyst and database administrator at a small social impact startup in the South Bronx called HERE to HERE. The organization supports sustainable solutions to help high school students learn about their college and career interests through work-based learning initiatives. In my role, I oversaw programmatic evaluation through surveying, observational studies, and qualitative interviews. My role was exciting as I worked with a variety of school leaders across New York City, parents, and students – each of whom made the work interesting each day. 

I went on to become the lead data analyst for CareerWise New York, an educational nonprofit, and later a business intelligence analyst for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. As I thought about the next steps for my career, I realized I needed to gain technical skills in programming and understand advanced topics in machine learning and technology in order to take my career to the next level as either a technical policy advisor, analytics manager, or to apply for a doctoral program in public policy. I set my sights on a master’s program that has a technical-focused curriculum, a student body that reflects diverse global perspectives, and is in a city that has a strong presence in urban politics. Ultimately, I chose Georgetown for these reasons, plus its amazing faculty and the plethora of experiential learning opportunities that balance technology and data analytics. 

In what ways have you tailored your Georgetown experiences to align with your interests and professional goals?

Each of the experiences I applied for centered around growth areas that would fill gaps in my professional experiences and allow me to be well-versed in skills needed for an advanced position in either research or policy. Despite being a fully remote student, I wanted to show my presence as an active student on campus. I am currently participating in the Student Analyst Program at Georgetown’s Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation, where I am placed as a Spring 2025 intern as a data science fellow with the National League of Cities. This experience has allowed me to put the programming and machine learning skills I’ve learned in the classroom into practice for their organization. 

I have also served as a McDonough Student Ambassador, where I have learned about the communications, marketing, and branding aspects of the school. Lastly, I serve as a Student Advisory Board Member for the Clinical and Psychiatric Services Team, where I support the department in advocating for mental health resources for the entire school population; a topic I am passionate about. 

What has been your favorite course or experience in the program?

My favorite experience so far has been the residency experiences. The whole cohort spends an entire week on campus taking classes with faculty in person, meeting with other students in the program, and exploring D.C. I particularly enjoyed the August residency, as everyone was excited and nervous about seeing one another for the first time. To top it off, the weather in D.C. was great. During the first week of the residency, I enjoyed the Data Visualization class instructed by Professor Robin Dillion-Merrill, where we had the chance to learn Tableau from scratch and the underlying principles of effective data visualizations for various audiences and meeting stakeholder expectations. 

What are some of the key takeaways you’ve gained from the program?

A few key takeaways I gained from the program are: 1) start building your network early in the program; 2) the outcome of your graduate experience is based on the amount of effort you put in; and 3) rely on your fellow students for support throughout the program. 

The MSBA program has so many opportunities to connect with other peers across McDonough through networking events and even remotely through LinkedIn and Zoom events. Most of the alumni who I talked with gained their employment through their networks from fellow peers in the program, networking events with corporate partners, and career fairs. 

From the very beginning of the program, I knew I wanted to take advantage of all the opportunities Georgetown has to offer to build on my growth areas and broaden my horizons. I am currently involved in several programs across the school, including student-based initiatives, and frequently attend remote and in-person networking events when feasible. 

Lastly, as the program is very intense and fast-paced in its design, it is important to form relationships with classmates across areas of expertise to take the opportunity to learn from one another. The program feels like a sprint with six-week online courses and large group projects that rely on collaboration. It’s important to maintain a close connection with your fellow peers, which becomes easier as you form groups throughout the program. 

How has the MSBA program prepared you for your future career endeavors?

The MSBA has prepared me for my future career endeavors by equipping me with the business acumen, technical skills, and network of like-minded peers who have a similar passion and career motivation for growth in their respective fields. Throughout the program, I was able to meet with several faculty members to discuss my career goals and receive their thoughts on where the future of education and technology are headed as I think about pivoting into academia. Furthermore, the program has allowed me to enroll in a research method and statistics course, adding to my foundation of statistical and causal inference knowledge based on my social science training. 

What advice would you offer to future MSBA students?

One piece of advice I have for future MSBA students is to understand your “Why?” for joining this program. Once you have a clear “Why?” it will be easier to seek out mentorship and specific student-based experiences to grow your strengths and craft the ideal educational experience.