Perissa Tawiah

Perissa Tawiah, MM-A '24 Candidate, always had an interest in data analytics, but she was finding it difficult to break into the field – until a TikTok reel and a supportive admissions director intervened.

Despite having an undergraduate degree in applied math and a certificate in data analytics, Tawiah found that any time she interviewed for jobs in that field, the position would always go to someone with more experience.

Then one morning, she watched a TikTok by a Sephora data analyst, who explained she got the job after doing a Masters’ degree in data analytics.

“It was a light bulb moment – with my previous qualifications, I did learn how to draw actionable insights, but I realized I probably didn't know how to communicate that academic experience properly,” said Tawiah, Crew Productivity Manager at Air Canada. “That’s where Ivey came in.”

For Tawiah, the MM-A provided an opportunity to fill in some of the gaps in her experience, develop new ways of thinking, and learn about the kind of leader she wanted to be.

“There's a wealth of experience in my classroom, and just hearing people share from their experiences and tying that back to the cases we’re studying has been so valuable,” she says.

“Everyone’s mindset and thinking is very similar because the analytical mind is very logic-based. But the personalities we have are diverse and we’re encouraged to push ourselves to think outside the box.”

The leadership course is a great example of the kinds of classes that have encouraged Tawiah and her classmates to think beyond what data says, she adds.

“There was one example about whether to promote someone who has excelled in all the targets that you've given them, but their way of working is impacting their company culture,” she says.

“And as analytical minds, we tend to think that if the person is hitting all the targets and they're doing what they're supposed to do, the right thing to do is to promote them. But if you think of the human aspect and how this promotion is going to affect the company culture affect people that have been loyal – those are the questions you need to consider to be a successful leader.”

The part-time aspect of the program is one of the things that first drew Tawiah to Ivey. After initially submitting her profile, Tawiah found out she was pregnant and put the idea of an MM-A on hold – but the plan remained in the background, and after some encouragement from the MM-A recruitment director, she decided to take the challenge on while on maternity leave.

That level of support from Ivey’s staff has continued into the program and has been crucial to Tawiah as a new mom. Ivey staff connected her with another new mom in the program and welcomed her daughter to Residency Week – all small gestures that made Tawiah feel this was a balancing act she could master.

For anyone considering the MM-A program, she recommends reaching out and speaking with someone at Ivey who can either answer their questions or connect them with students or alumni.

“That was the dealmaker for me, just having that one-on-one interaction. Even if you've attended the information sessions, I would just say reach out. If you see any of us on LinkedIn, I think we would all be happy to just let you know how it's going and let you know what being in it entails,” she says.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to balance everything, but now I have no doubt that I'll figure it out because of the support that I have from my classmates, the professors, the faculty – there’s always someone who you can reach out. The community that Ivey has is great, so don’t be afraid to reach out.”