The Sound of Data: My MSBA Symphony

Who knew that a childhood spent with a violin, echoing in my name "Via Lin," would lead me to a master's program where I learned to compose music with machine learning?

After eight years in the workforce, choosing to start over was a bold, even terrifying, decision. However, the Master of Science in Business Analytics program at UC Davis helped me embrace the power of data, and reimagine how I could create more value, showing me that growth truly begins when we choose to rewrite our own scores.

Here's my story, one note at a time: do re me fa so la ti do.

The Melody of Growth

DO- Dare to Dream

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Quitting my full-time job to go back to school was terrifying. I remember sitting in my car after submitting my resignation letter, wondering if I'd just made the biggest mistake of my life. But I knew I wanted more. I chose UC Davis because the program wasn't just theoretical but focused on solving actual problems.

The UC Davis MSBA program stood out for its emphasis on practical, hands-on learning and its strong community. That first step forward? It was scary as hell, but it was mine.

RE- Refine and Rise

Those first few months almost broke me. Python errors at 2 a.m. SQL queries that wouldn't run. Statistics concepts that made my brain hurt. I questioned everything: my decision, my abilities, whether I belonged there. But here’s what saved me: showing up every day—even when I felt stupid, especially when I felt stupid. Progress wasn't pretty, but it was real. Every debugging session, every revised model, every small breakthrough built my confidence one line of code at a time.

MI- Meet Mentors, Make Meaning

The people made all the difference. My professors and program leadership team didn't just teach—they believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. My classmates became my lifeline during those brutal weeks.

When I received the Beta Gamma Sigma honor at the Evening of Excellence, I almost cried. Not because of the recognition, but because I finally felt like I belonged. That moment represented not just academic achievement, but the relationships and resilience that got me there.

FA- Find Balance

There were weeks when I survived on coffee and stubbornness. Practicum project deadlines, job applications, coursework; everything hits at once. I learned the hard way that burnout is real. I started taking walks and hiking—great exercise in San Francisco. I had several actual conversations with people. I even performed in the MSBA Talent Show singing “Rolling in the Deep," which was exciting and completely worth it. Sometimes you need to remember how to laugh in the hardest times.

SO- Solve Problems

Leading the practicum team for the UC Davis Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts was the highlight of my program. We partnered with their business intelligence team to understand the audience better, predict customer behavior patterns and develop data-driven engagement strategies.

As a data analyst, I quickly learned that the best insights come from asking the right questions. I discovered that analytics isn't just about models and algorithms; it's about understanding people and solving problems that matter.

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LA- Learn and Apply

Somewhere along the way, my brain started working differently. I began seeing patterns everywhere. I started asking, "What does this data actually mean?" instead of just, "Does this model work?" That shift from technical execution to strategic thinking, that's what prepared me for the real world.

It wasn't just about mastering formulas; it was about internalizing the analytical thinking behind them.

TI- See Differently

Halfway through the program, something clicked. I started feeling like someone who could solve extremely complex problems with data. That confidence led to my current role as a business analyst intern at an AI startup.

Every day, I use what I learned from this program to help product teams make better decisions. The technical skills from my coursework matter, but what matters more is the analytical mindset the program gave me.

DO- Begin Again

Graduation day was emotional. Standing there with classmates, I realized we'd all been changed by this experience. I was the same person who started, but also completely different. I had new skills, but more importantly, I had new confidence.

I knew I could learn hard things, solve complex problems and keep going when things get tough. As I graduate, I'm excited to leverage these skills in a full-time role that blends analytical rigor with strategic problem-solving, particularly within the evolving landscape of AI.

This journey gave me a new way of seeing the world and the confidence to change it. Find me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation about analytics, career transitions and the power of starting over!

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