Blog Author | UC Davis Graduate School of Management

Profile

Yifan Zou MPAc 23

I used to live on the east coast of U.S. and when my fiancé decided to move to the west coast I did a lot of searching for west coast universities. Among so many schools, UC Davis quickly caught my eye. I had a few good friends who had graduated from UC Davis, so I learned about the MPAc program from talking to them. UC Davis is in a great location and has very good job opportunities. Besides, the small class sizes make me feel safe since the professors pay attention to each student.

Student Leadership and Experience

Fencing Club at Rutgers University
Skills development program at

Lucas Haskins MBA 23

Profile

Lucas Haskins MBA 23

UC Davis is well-known as the epicenter of the food and agriculture technology start-up ecosystem. There are world-renowned researchers, institutes, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists all circling one another daily. So, when it came to decide on where I should go for my MBA, the UC Davis Graduate School of Management was my number one choice.

Student Leadership Experience

Project Lead for the next cohort of the partnership between the UC Davis GSM, the IIFH, and the Barnstorm Foundry
Co-President of the Food & Wine Leadership Club
Director of Finance for the Women in Leadership

Naga “Yashas” Bhaskara Venkata MSBA 22

Profile

Naga “Yashas” Bhaskara Venkata MSBA 22

“I chose the UC Davis MSBA program because I wanted to broaden my analytics skills without having to step away from the industry. ”

Professional Experience

Analyst, Apple
Graduate Student Analyst, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Apprentice Leader (Senior Business Analyst), Mu Sigma

Student Leadership and Experience

Head, Pitch Please - The Acapella group of PES Institute of Technology

Education

UC Davis, Master of Science in Business Analytics
Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication
PES Institute of Technology - Bengaluru, India

Fun Facts

I am

Austin Claiborne MBA 24

Profile

Austin Claiborne MBA 24

I chose UC Davis because I wanted to join a diverse program that would challenge and surround me with some of the best minds in business. I am passionate about giving back and helping others and so I truly am fortunate to have found a program that allows me turn that vision into fruition.

Student Leadership and Experience

Club Membership: Entrepreneurship Club

Previous Education

Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, University of California, Riverside

Previous Work Experience

Program Manager - Warriors Community Foundation, Golden State Warriors
Program Coordinator

Angelina Cayabyab MBA 24

Profile

Angelina Cayabyab MBA 24

The general UC Davis community is very friendly. This institution is a cultural fit for me. UC Davis is an LGBTQ+-friendly institution. Most of my queer friends from high school went here for undergrad. They’ve said really good things about this school. Additionally, my scholarship and my program’s prestige are also why I decided to attend.

LinkedIn Profile

Student Leadership Experience Healthcare Council Becoming a Changemaker Women in Leadership (WiL) GSM Pride Network Previous Degree(s) and School(s) Honors - Bachelor's, Health Administration/Quality Management - CSUN Honor

Ryan Wilson MBA 24

Profile

Ryan Wilson MBA 24

I chose UC Davis' Graduate School of Management to pursue my MBA for their intense curriculum and Industry Immersion Programs. Between the course offerings, the level of professional educators and location to the Silicon Valley, I felt UC Davis' Graduate School of Management would give me the necessary skills and tools needed to become a successful leader in my transition from the U.S. Army to the civilian workforce.

Student Leadership Experience

Club Membership: Finance, Strategy Consulting

Previous Degree and School

Bachelor of Science, Business Administration: Finance, Minor: Computer Science

Rishika Chaudhary MSBA 23

Profile

Rishika Chaudhary MSBA 23

I chose UC Davis' MSBA program because it combines technical and management core skills, allowing me to align my foundations and apply them to multiple business scenarios efficiently. With the program being located in San Francisco was a cherry on top because it opens up endless networking opportunities.

Professional Experience

Information Technology Engineer & Intern, HP Inc.

Student Leadership and Experience

Graduate Student Analyst, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Advisor & Treasurer, AURA (Non-Profit Initiative), Shiv Nadar University

Education

BTech. in Electronics

Tushar Kotangale MSBA 21

Profile

Tushar Kotangale MSBA 21

“I chose the UC Davis MSBA program because it offers a robust curriculum in analytics, encourages for certifications and provides an exciting opportunity to work with industry partners on analytical challenges.”

Professional Experience

Business Intelligence Engineer II, Amazon
Manager Analytics, Wayfair
Associate Manager Analytics, Factspan
Business Analyst, Genpact

Student Leadership and Experience

Executive Student Assistant, UC Davis Graduate School of Management

Education

Master of Science in Business Analytics, University of California, Davis
MTech Industrial and

Justin Chen MBA 17

Profile

Justin Chen MBA 17

Collaboration is the key to success. When I walk with two others, there must be one whom I can learn from.

Degree(s)

MBA, University of California, Davis
B.S. in Environmental Science, South Chian Agricultural University

Work experience

Owner/Center Director, The Tutoring Center, Round Rock TX
Lead Production Marketing Manager, Internet of Things, AT&T
Senior Accounts Analyst and Inventory Specialist in Accountemps
Product Manager Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production Co., Ltd.

Student leadership

Director of Events, Associated Students of Management (ASM)
Presi

Shaneil Mckenzie MPAc 23

Profile

Shaneil Mckenzie MPAc 23

From tackling real-world challenges with distinguished professors and collaborating with peers to produce meaningful solutions, this academic expansion is pivotal to remain valuable and avoid stagnation when professional advancement in my career becomes probable.

Professional Experience

Financial Analyst, Eli Lilly and Company
- Streamlined divisional financial data input for the Consolidated Financial Statements, presented financial impacts of highly confidential journal entries to CFO and Directors and assisted in earnings release preparation.
Manufacturing Finance Intern, Eli

Esther Muriithi MBA 24

Profile

Esther Muriithi MBA 24

I chose to attend the UC Davis Sacramento Part-Time GSM program because of the notoriety of the STEM program and the flexibility to keep working while I earn my degree.

Professional Experience

UC Davis Medical Center - Clinical Nurse II to Administrative Nurse I - Radiology
Northern California Hospitals – Clinical Travel Nurse – Intensive Care Unit
Saint Agnes Medical Center – Clinical Nurse – Intensive Care Unit and Medical-Surgical-Oncology-Palliative Units

Education

B.A. University of Missouri-Columbia
B.S. Nursing, Bethel University

Student Leadership and Experience

Ziyan Xu MPAc 22

Profile

Ziyan Xu MPAc 22

Tax Consultant, Deloitte

"I found my passion at UC Davis, and I'm sure you will, too. The Graduate School of Management is a magical place."

Professional Experience

Financial analyst assistant, Hyde Park Investment Services

Education

Bachelor of Science in management science, UC San Diego

Student Leadership and Experience

UC Davis Graduate School of Management teaching assistant for MGT 170
Davis Accounting Society Advisor

Fun Facts

I'm a mini-schnauzer lover. In fact, I have two mini-schnauzers currently.
I enjoy all outdoor activities.

Laksh Suryanarayanan MSBA 23

Profile

Laksh Suryanarayanan MSBA 23

"After spending many years in the industry before returning to school, I had almost forgotten what it was like to be around like-minded enthusiastic peers, all working towards the common goal of becoming skilled business analytics professionals. I have been a huge proponent of grad school for many years for this very reason but somehow didn’t end up pursuing it until now."

Professional Experience

Senior Scientist, Risk Analytics at PayPal
Data Scientist, Product Analytics at PayPal
Business Analyst, Amazon

Education

Bachelor of Technology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Jinying (Jinny) Zhong MSBA 23

Profile

Jinying (Jinny) Zhong MSBA 23

I am super amazed by the comprehensive curriculum settings and rich practice opportunities designed in this program. It gives me the confidence to face challenges fearlessly with deep understanding in data, computing, analytics and business together.

Professional Experience

Product Manager, BI Analyst, Data Manager, Procter & Gamble
Intern, ManpowerGroup

Student Leadership and Experience

Executive Student Assistant, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
IdeaLab Group Member, Greater China Procter & Gamble Alumni College
Teaching Assistant, Xi’an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Xinyi (Alice) Shen MSBA 23

Profile

Xinyi (Alice) Shen MSBA 23

Analytics traces the way to a full picture so we don’t have to absorb information from non-verifiable sources. With my diverse MSBA cohort and full support from UC Davis, I am excited to share our strengths and complement the blind spots while we leverage data to resolve real-world problems.

Professional Experience

Investment and Data Analytics Extern, Enhanced Healthcare Partners
Summer Rotational Intern, International Department, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

Student Leadership and Experience

Graduate Student Analyst, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Chair of

Ridwan Abdusalam MSBA 23

Profile

Ridwan Abdusalam MSBA 23

I chose UC Davis MSBA because of the hands-on learning approach and the resolute commitment to rich students’ experience.

Professional Experience

Software Engineer, Engineering, CrowdForce
Data Analytics Engineer, Engineering, CrowdForce

Student Leadership and Experience

Graduate Student Analyst, MSBA program, UC Davis Graduate School of Management

Education

Bachelor's in Computer Science, University of Ilorin

Fun Facts

The bravest thing I've ever done was give a product demonstration to a live audience of over 100 government officials.
I enjoy traveling; I've toured

Archana Das MBA 22

Profile

Archana Das MBA 22

"I chose the UC Davis Graduate School of Management because of its interesting courses in technology management, reputed faculty, robust alumni network, and my desire to make an impact in the Bay Area IT industry."

Professional Experience

Information technology professional with 15 years of experience working across the United States, India, and United Kingdom.
Female entrepreneur in small scale business for five years.

Student Leadership and Experience

Member of the Women in Leadership (WiL) and Product Management clubs at the Graduate School of Management
Awarded Women in

Wenbo Wang MSBA 23

Profile

Wenbo Wang MSBA 23

"I chose the UC Davis MSBA program because of its unique year-long practicum project, outstanding classmates and alumni, and endless possibilities here in San Francisco."

Professional Experience

Business Analyst Intern, Amazon
Analyst Intern, Boston Consulting Group

Student Leadership and Experience

Team Leader - Beijing Foreign Studies University, Business Negotiation Team
Head of Communication - Beijing Foreign Studies University, Consulting Club

Education

B.A. in Economics, Finance, Beijing Foreign Studies University
Semester exchange (Berkeley Haas Global Access Program)

Kyle Gillingwater MPAc 21

Profile

Kyle Gillingwater MPAc 21

"The faculty at UC Davis went above and beyond in helping educate, advocate, and empathize with students. Their care for our success extended well beyond the completion of our courses."

Professional Experience

Three years of corporate accounting experience at Build.com
Intern at Reiss, Jackson and Co.
Summer audit internship at Deloitte

Education

B.S. in accounting, Chico State

Student Leadership and Experience

Teaching assistant at UC Davis
Student accounting society member at Chico State
Beta Alpha Psi member at Chico State

Fun Facts

I like to design houses when I'm

Ash Bagla MBA 23

Profile

Ash Bagla MBA 23

"As I reflect on my time at the GSM, it’s become clear—no matter what happiness means to you, you can find fulfilment at UC Davis. An MBA is worth more professionally if, in addition to establishing an academic foundation, you’re able to 'get stuff done.' That could be through community engagement, partnerships or co-curriculars. It all pays off."

Professional Experience

Partner Manager, Pinterest
Client Executive, Drury Porter Novelli (Omnicom)
Food and Agribusiness consultant, Farrelly & Mitchell Business Consultants

Education

MSc, digital marketing strategy, Trinity College