Final Thoughts, New Beginnings: Reflections from the MSDS Class of 2025

After semesters of classwork, connection, projects, and data science education, Master's in Data Science (MSDS) students were honored with their diplomas May 18th. Now looking toward the future, MSDS Residential and Online students reflected on their past. Class of 2025 MSDS Ambassadors and members of the Graduate Data Science Student Council (GDSC) shared their advice for incoming students, their plans after graduation, and the most valuable things they learned. 

MSDS Residential Program

The MSDS Residential Program is a one-year program where students attend class in-person at the School of Data Science building. Over the course of their studies, students complete a partner-sponsored capstone project with opportunities for professional development through internships and connection with hiring companies. Students also have the opportunity to serve on the GDSC or as an admissions ambassador for the School. 

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Christine George

Christine George was an MSDS Residential Ambassador and the Inclusive Excellence Chair on the GDSC. They advised incoming students to intentionally plan how to spend their professional development fund. "I would highly recommend planning out how to use the $300 in your professional development fund! There are opportunities to go to conferences in the Charlottesville, NOVA, and Richmond areas." George said. 

Post-graduation, George is applying and interviewing for state government and industry jobs. Balancing classes, job hunting, and extracurriculars, George said the most valuable thing they learned was time management. "Definitely allow yourself to take breaks so that you don't get burnt out. It takes a lot of practice, but I also learned how to network effectively and be confident during interviews."

Their parting thought: "A majority of good data science resumes have a projects section, so I would recommend including final projects from your classes and posting them to your GitHub. Also, it sounds cliche, but you will get out whatever you put in with your graduate education, it truly is up to you to learn the material."
 

Brett Castro

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Brett Castro served as GDSC School Spirit Chair during his time at the School. On advice for incoming students, Castro encouraged getting involved and exploring the local community. "There are limitless opportunities to get involved with the UVA community—explore! In this past year, I have been so blessed to have met friends and found new hobbies that I would have never known I enjoyed if I had not taken the leap and tried them out," he said.

Castro said he is "proudly serving our country in the US military" after graduation. The most valuable thing Castro learned came from working and collaborating with others? "There are people who genuinely want to see you succeed. It doesn't always have to be a competition," he said. 

His parting thought: "Truly, truly enjoy the moment. Embrace the highs, the lows, the grind, and even when it is slow. Times like these are so precious and we'll soon miss them when we go."
 

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Courtney Hodge

Courtney Hodge served as an MSDS Residential Ambassador and GDSC Student Activities and Events Chair. She emphatically encouraged students to start the job search as soon as possible. "It is easy to think you should wait until your final semester, but the truth is, anything can happen, and giving yourself more time is a huge advantage. The program moves quickly, and it is important to make the most of all 11 months, not just the last few," Hodge said. "The best thing you can do is to just start, even if it feels early. Your future self will thank you."

Hodge found the most value in taking advantage of opportunities. "One of the most valuable things I learned during my time here is to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. It is easy to get caught up in the demands of the program, but experiences like these are rare. When else will you have the chance to be a student in a place like this, surrounded by so many ways to grow and connect? I have always been someone who tries to make the most of the time I have, and I really believe it is important to be intentional with how you spend your time here."

Her parting thought: "Explore the greater Charlottesville area and be sure to visit Monticello. Also, get to know the faculty and staff here. They are the people who make this place what it is, and without them, we would not have the wonderful and welcoming environment of the School of Data Science."
 

Disha Trivedi

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Disha Trivedi was a MSDS Residential Ambassador and University Judiciary Representative for the GDSC. Trivedi encouraged incoming students to make sure they attend their classes. "The learning curve is steep, and it’s easy to fall behind if you’re not locked in and paying attention — staying on top of it early really makes a difference," she said. 

Trivedi thanked the Data Science Career Services Team for her post graduation plans. "The team does an amazing job preparing students for life after graduation — thanks to their support, I’m currently set to work as a Data Analyst at a Fortune 100 company." She explained the most valuable thing she learned during the program was the importance of establishing connections and networking. "Building strong connections and relationships is incredibly valuable. The faculty and staff here are amazing — they should be your go-to resource for support and success," Trivedi said. 

Her parting thought: "I had an amazing time being part of the MSDS community and I'm sad its ending. Make sure to enjoy your time to the fullest as it goes by fast!" 

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Rachel Fellman

Rachel Fellman served as the Honor Commitee Representative for the GDSC while in the MSDS program. Fellman agreed that starting job hunting early was crucial and preferred the internship opportunity. "If you can, do the internship instead of the capstone."

Fellman will be a business analyst at an environmental engineering firm. The most valuable thing she learned was from Quantitative Foundation Associate Professor of Data Science Jonathan Kropko's class. "I think Kropko’s course was one of the most useful," she said. 

Her parting thought: "You got this!"
 

MSDS Online Program

The MSDS Online Program is a 20-month program that is completed entirely online with weekly live class meetings in the evening. This program is tailored to students who are working professionals, raising families, or otherwise like the flexibility of a part-time course load. Online students complete the same curriculum as residential students with 33 credits and a capstone project, while still optionally serving as MSDS Ambassadors.

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Abner Casillas-Colon

Abner Casillas-Colon was an MSDS Online ambassador. His advice for incoming students was to participate in collabortory learning. "Take the opportunity to learn not only from your professors, but from your fellow classmates," he said. "So many of them are very experienced and will be invaluable resources in making the program feel more manageable."

Casillas-Colon utilized the MSDS Online program to complete his degree while working. He shared how it factored in to his career goals. "I currently work in data science and did before the program, but the research elements of it helped prepare me for more technical applications of modeling that were a challenge prior to starting the program." 

He learned that the diverse backgrounds of his cohort were crucial in maintaining ethical data science. "For me, it's really about how varied the experiences are among individuals who choose to work in data science, and how valuable it is to communicate with others while also balancing the ethical concerns of models and their potential unintended consequences. These ideas tie together, as learning from others with diverse experiences can help you better understand the consequences of the work you do," Casillas-Colon said. 

His parting thought: "Don't be afraid to tackle an application to a model when you're unsure of the outcome, since so much of this is a learning process."
 

Becky Desrosiers

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Becky Desrosiers served as an MSDS Online ambassador. Her advice for incoming students was to clarify lab and project expectations early on. She is in the process of finding a job and has already received one offer.

Desrosiers said the most valuable thing she learned was how to collaborate effectively with others. "Working with other people is about finding what works for everyone and picking your battles, not about being right all the time," she said. 

Her parting thought: "This program is hard and takes up a lot of time — but you can do it! There is support for you if you reach out."