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MSDS Residential Student Profile: Bernard Gonzales
Bernard Gonzales
Education
M.S. in Data Science 2025, University of Virginia
B.A. in Computer Science & Linguistics 2024, University of Virginia
Hometown
Haymarket, VA
Q: Tell us about your path to Data Science.
When I entered college, I wasn't 100% sure about what I wanted to major in. I chose computer science because I enjoyed my high school programming classes and because programming is useful in a lot of different fields that rely on statistics and data analysis. I also really liked learning languages and understanding how people communicate, so I chose linguistics as my second major.
As I learned more about software development and gained real-world experience through a summer internship, I realized that I wanted to have a job that made a meaningful change in the world for the better. I had peers who wanted the prestige of working for FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, & Google) and other big-tech companies, but these options looked less and less glamorous to me, especially considering the lack of work-life balance and job security at these companies.
I decided to pursue the M.S. in Data Science (MSDS) residential program to broaden my career opportunities and learn more about topics like machine learning and data engineering.
Q: What do you hope to do with a data science master's degree?
At first, I would like to gain experience in data science and data engineering, and hopefully later on I can work on projects addressing large issues like climate change or equitable housing and transportation. I think that there's so much I can do with a Master's degree in data science, so the sky's the limit!
Q: What has surprised you about the program so far?
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the peers in my cohort are supportive and want to get to know each other. I feel like if I'm stuck on homework or need help understanding the material, everyone's so willing to help each other out. I also really like how the MSDS program is career-oriented, especially with the amount of resources the School of Data Science provides. It feels like everyone's rooting for each other to be successful!
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Q: What are you involved in outside of class?
I'm a student bus driver for University Transit Service (UTS), so plenty of students and staff have seen me driving all the different bus routes around Grounds. I'm also learning to play organ through UVA's music department. I provide keyboard accompaniment (either piano or organ) for church services, most notably for Our Lady of the Blue Ridge Catholic Church in Madison, VA and St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Charlottesville, VA.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering a master’s in data science?
Data science is one of the most interdisciplinary fields. I would recommend it to highly motivated individuals who want to diversify their career options or to those looking to enhance their data science skills.
Research data science programs that pique your interest and reach out to MSDS Student Ambassadors (or any current MSDS students that you may know) can help you get your foot in the door and learn more about the program. I met Elisabeth Waldron last December on a Gold Line bus I was driving and although I got all her contact information, I was too nervous to reach out (a decision I regret now) because I felt like my application wasn't very good/wouldn't stand out.
Long story short, don't do what I did, and if you see a master's student wearing UVA data science merch, reach out and let us know that you're interested! I promise we don't bite, and we would be more than happy to help you on your data science journey.
Q: What are some fun facts about yourself?
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I've played piano for 15 years, and some of my favorite composers are Frédéric Chopin and Johannes Brahms. (I love Franz Liszt's works too, but performing works like La Campanella would be a lot for me. I'll stick to playing Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu until I can get a piano in my living space.)
I love cooking and trying new dishes with my friends; some recent things I've made are carbonara, tteokbokki (떡볶이), and zha jiang mian (炸酱面). I love learning languages. The languages I'm most proficient in (other than English) are Tagalog, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish.
