Laura Kwan, MM-A '24, was looking to sharpen her data skills and make new connections when she joined Ivey’s Master of Management: Analytics program.

“The MM-A seemed like a great opportunity because it’s a hybrid of those foundational business courses and analytics, and that combination is important as we move towards a more data-centric society,” says Kwan, Senior Associate at Roynat Capital. 

“Being able to make decisions based on data is increasingly valuable, and not everyone can leverage that skill.”

For Kwan, who had spent most of her career in finance, a highlight of the MM-A was learning new perspectives from various industries during class discussions, group work and case studies.

“When we’re talking about what's important in a case and how to tackle these questions, everyone had different industry experiences and educational backgrounds, so you get to learn a lot about different thought processes,” she says.

“It allowed me to look at problems from new perspectives and think about whether there’s a better way to think about an issue or combine approaches to find a better way forward.”

Kwan found the professors and classmates created a comfortable and judgment-free environment where everyone could participate, share ideas, and learn from one another.

The class interactions also gave Kwan new ways of thinking about leadership and how to lead within a technical role or field.

“I'd always been told you have to decide whether you want to be a people leader or a technical person, which means you become an individual contributor. But I see now that's not necessarily the case,” she says. 

“A lot of people who are very technical are still able to be leaders – whether that’s as people managers, a leader in a project, or a technical lead.”

The in-person aspect of the program, which required students to attend in person for one full week every quarter and included some weekend sessions, meant Kwan and her cohort were able to develop close friendships. That network extended to the faculty, who Kwan says were very responsive and always willing to answer questions after class.

“They really wanted to get to know us and see how we could progress throughout this program and in our personal career journey,” she says.

They are also connections that continue for Kwan as an alumni, not just on a personal level but through events organized by her local alumni network.

For anyone thinking about applying to the MM-A, Kwan suggests making sure they are efficient with their time management and learn to prioritize. These are skills, she says, that have served her well even after she finished the MM-A.

“I would also say to have fun with the program. I made tons of great friends from this program that are now some of my best friends, and who I know will stay in my life forever,” she says.

“It’s a beautiful experience because not everyone gets the opportunity to work and thrive in school at the same time. The education was phenomenal, but you also make the kind of connections you can’t make anywhere else. And once you're done, you feel like you can do anything.”