Even though Bianca Quissak Matos, MMA '22, already had a decade of experience in analytical roles, as she contemplated the next big step in her career, she felt that Ivey’s Master of Management in Analytics program would provide the boost she needed to move into a more strategic management role. 

“While I have a background in engineering, my career has been a mix of the technical and the business side, and I feel I was already in a good spot before I started the MMA,” says Matos, now Head of Data- Data Operations at Syngenta.  

“But I was looking for something that could take me to the next level.” 

Matos opted for Ivey because of the school’s strong reputation and its experiential learning approach, which would allow her and her classmates to learn from each other, as well as the instructors and course material. 

She also felt the mix of analytics and business content of the program would both fit and add to her experience. 

“On the technical side, it was a more organized way to learn about a lot of different things and have a good understanding of all possibilities and techniques – but there were many business insights I learned, even from the technical courses,” she says. 

Having classmates with different background and levels of experience led to new perspectives for Matos, as she and her classmates discussed not only the cases assigned in class, but also issues or problems that would arise during their workday. 

For anyone thinking about joining the MMA, Matos says completing the program while working full-time is manageable, but advises not to underestimate the workload. 

“I would say be very organized, but also be transparent with your employer, and be upfront if you think you need time off to complete class work,” she says. 

“In my case, I had support and I realized that I could have asked for help earlier.” 

Overall, Matos says the MMA helped increase her knowledge, widened her network, and gave her skills to draw on as she moves through her career. 

“It gave me the tools I needed to know how to speak to both business managers and technical teammates, better solve analytical problems and to explore new possibilities in my career,” she says.