Two years ago, when Kelvin Medina was considering signing up for the University of Miami's online master's program in data analytics and program evaluation, he said he quickly realized the program checked all the right boxes for him.
Offered through UOnline and the School of Education and Human Development, the program is fully online, can be completed in less than two years, covers the in-demand skills Medina wanted, and has the kind of name recognition that would help with future employers.
"I had to be able to continue working full time, I didn't want to have to move, and I wanted to be able to elevate my skills in an advanced setting," said Medina, who works as a senior manager for business intelligence at a media company in New York. "UM met all my needs; plus, it's a place with more brand awareness than most online programs."
What Medina didn't know was that an unexpectedly heavy travel schedule would put the UOnline motto of allowing students to "learn from anywhere, on any device, on your own time" to the test.
Medina, who plans to get married next year, found himself with several opportunities to travel with family and friends in 2024, including trips to Japan, London, Austria, and Prague.
"I knew I couldn't fall behind in school, but I didn't want to say no to seeing the world," said Medina, who grew up in Coral Springs. "So, I made it work. I was on the train from Austria to Prague with my laptop doing coding for a class project."
Another night he was up at 4 a.m. in his hotel room in Japan, posting to an online discussion forum for class.
"I was jetlagged, so I was ready to go," he said, laughing. "I figured I might as well get some work done."
Even when he wasn't traveling, Medina said he had many late nights as he pursued his degree.
"It wasn't easy," he said. "Plus, I took it a lot more seriously than I did my undergrad work."
Medina, who has a bachelor's degree in advertising, said he was focused on much more than getting a good grade.
"This degree is more than a piece of paper to me," he added. "Every project was about challenging my skills and learning something new. We are in a constantly changing job market. I don't ever want to stay stagnant."
Medina said what he learned through the UOnline program will help him move beyond the basic reporting and coding he does in his job now.
"I want to be the type of data professional that is not just crunching numbers," Medina explained. "I want to influence strategy, "be in the room where it happens," so to speak. This program expanded my repertoire of how to analyze data. Now I can think of research questions that are more business-related and apply my skills to that."
While the work was challenging, Medina said his professors were supportive, as were fellow students.
"(My professors) were extremely passionate about us and about our education," he said. "They really cared, and they were invested in us. The students in my cohort were a great help too. I feel like we'll stay connected."
Medina said his advice to future students in the data analytics program is simple.
"Stay curious," he said. "When you stop questioning, that is when the work can get boring. Always challenge yourself."
With his master's, Medina said he now has the skills and knowledge to go beyond the basics in data analytics.
"I know I can do much more, and that is what I'm hoping to do with this degree."
