B.S. Business Information Management, 2013
Why did you choose this major?
I decided to major in Business Information Management because I always wanted to pursue a degree in business and work in the technology industry. The major also appealed to me since it offers invaluable skill-sets that many employers look for in job candidates, such as being able to understand how technology functions in the corporate world.
What has been your career path since graduating with your B.S.?
After I graduated from UCI, I received a full-time offer at Kaiser Permanente as an IT Project Coordinator where I help implement and upgrade healthcare systems in our various hospitals.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
In my current position, I enjoy meeting with stakeholders and learning about the technology improvements being made. I feel as if I am constantly being challenged since I need to understand how IT plays a vital role in the healthcare industry. I enjoy the opportunity to work on different projects as it helps me network with various professionals and develop my IT project management skills. I find it rewarding to know that my work has a positive impact on the lives of patients.
What does a typical work day look like for you?
On a typical day, I am usually in meetings with various vendors to learn about their products/systems and how it can be incorporated in our hospitals. I also meet with IT project managers and together we plan and execute our current project. We make sure the project isn’t facing any issues and if there are, we’ll meet stakeholders to solve them.
And sometimes, I even visit hospitals and see how the systems we implemented are being used!
What was the best part of your experience at UCI?
The best part of my UCI experience has been meeting amazing people. A lot of our professors not only taught by also did research. It was always interesting to learn about their research and how they plan on making a difference. In addition, I have also made lifelong friends from my major since we would always be in the same classes and spend so much time together!
In what way(s) did your studies at UCI prepare you for your career to date?
I still remember taking an IT project management course which has been really useful in my current role and helped me easily transition into a project management career.
While at UCI, a lot the courses also required us to also work in groups which were very helpful since I am currently always working in teams on projects.
What would be your advice to incoming students who might want to follow a similar career path?
My advice to incoming students would be to get involved on campus especially with organizations that are related to your major and/or interests. It’ll help you to network with so many people and at the same time have fun! Another thing I recommend is doing an internship while in school. Doing an internship not only helps you gain experience but also learn about the many different opportunities there are.
