Heather Fettke

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program? 

I am pivoting my career a bit. I studied mechanical engineering and atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Maryland. I am currently trying to break into the tech field by working as a software engineer. A part of my undergraduate studies that I really enjoyed was computer vision and ML/AI. 

What initially drew you to this program? 

I liked the versatility that data science can offer and the focus on machine learning. 

Can you tell us how the MS-DS program fits into your life? 

The flexibility of this program is perfect. There are no weekly deadlines, which is really helpful. Some weeks I spend 20 hours studying, but others I spend less than 5 if it's a busy week or I have to travel for work. 

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree? 

I hope to pivot my career to get a machine learning role and get promoted. 

Would you recommend this program to others? Why or why not? 

Yes, I would. It's a very flexible program. 

What do you wish you’d known before starting the MS-DS? 

The online version does not offer a lot of help with career counseling and other resources that residential students have access to.