As a kid growing up in New York, Nyanti Eason began to develop a deep understanding and love for computers. For Christmas or her birthday, her gift wishlist would include complex computer programming workbooks and the latest tech games.
“I was always attached to a computer growing up,” recalls Eason. “This led to a deep exploration into computer programming that just came naturally to me. In high school, I was lucky to have access to computer science classes and my love for computers simply expanded from that moment on.”
After graduating from high school, Eason headed south to attend the University of Miami and declare her major in computer science with the College of Arts & Sciences. She graduated with a BS in Computer Science (Class of ’21) and an MS in Data Science with a track in Marketing (Class of ’22). Eason also earned a minor in Mathematics and a minor in Music Industry from the Frost School of Music.
Now back home in New York, Eason is an intern at Creative Artist Agency (CAA), the well-known powerhouse entertainment agency representing artists like Beyonce, Zendaya and Reese Witherspoon.
“I’m interning with the data team, analyzing client and customer demographics and social media data info,” said Eason. “It’s the best of both worlds for me because I love data analysis and the entertainment and music industry. Ideally, I would love to merge these two passions and establish a business consulting agency in the future.”
Eason is the first student from the University of Miami to graduate with an MS in Data Science with a Marketing track, which was created by the College for students who wish to pursue careers in strategic branding, predictive analytics, market research, and consumer behavior. Many of the courses are taken within the College of Arts & Sciences and the Miami Herbert Business School.
“The College of Arts & Sciences is excited to be partnering with the Miami Hebert Business School’s Marketing Department on this new track,” said Maryann Tatum Tobin, assistant dean for professional education in the College. “Practical applications of data science in marketing are constantly evolving and we are daily consumers of influencer content across many media channels. It’s a great opportunity for students who are looking to take sought-after technical skills into a highly employable field.”
Although Eason looks back on her time at UM with fond memories, she wishes there were more women of color in her computer science courses. Eason says that she would like to create a program that supports young women of color who are interested in computer and data science.
“I loved every undergraduate and graduate course at UM, but I do wish that there was more diversity overall,” said Eason. “Maybe it’s the perception of computer science in general that steers students of color away from the degree, but there are so many resources at UM that can help students while making the experience fun and stimulating—even when the class is a bit challenging.
“There were so many times that I doubted myself, but I stayed focused. It’s funny because now people in the industry call me a ‘unicorn,’ because I’m a woman of color and I can code.”
For more information about the College’s Master of Science in Data Science program, click here.
