The Project That Changed How I Think About Data and AI

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Behind every step of my MBA journey was the love and support of my family.

A few years before starting my MBA, I was sitting at the kitchen table with my daughters, talking about growth and preparing for the future. In the middle of that conversation, a question caught me off guard: Why am I not building that future for myself too?

That question followed me into a Financial Accounting class visit at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. I remember sitting there, listening and realizing how much I missed learning. Something shifted. I made a quiet promise to myself that day that I would keep going, even if it felt hard.

That moment forced me to stop thinking about the future I wanted for my daughters and start building it for myself.

Learning to Balance It All

At the start of the UC Davis Bay Area Part-Time MBA program, I was balancing coursework, my full-time role at Ana Araby Academy, an organization focused on Arabic language education and cultural learning, raising a two-year-old and everything in between. My first quarter felt like survival. I had to learn quickly how to manage my time, stay organized and find a rhythm that worked for my life, not against it.

Over time, I built systems that helped. I tracked deadlines, prepared before class and used small pockets of time throughout the day to stay on top of coursework.

By my second year, I could feel the difference. When demanding courses like Mergers and Acquisitions and Organizational Strategy overlapped with my practicum, the workload was still intense, but I was ready for it.

A Practicum Project That Felt Like Real Work

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Applying AI, Data and Strategy in a UC Davis Practicum Project

• UC Davis MBA and MSBA students led a data-driven business development project with an external client; due to an NDA, specific company details cannot be shared, but the work provided real-world insight into how analytics informs decisions.
   
• Collected, organized and validated large datasets, building a structured process to identify and support business development opportunities.
   
• Applied AI, web scraping and data visualization tools; weekly client meetings added business context, clarified stakeholder needs and showed how analytics supports strategic decisions.

The practicum became one of the most defining parts of my MBA experience.

I joined because I wanted exposure to data analysis and a better understanding of how it connects to financial decision-making. What I didn’t expect was how much the experience would expand my perspective.

Teaming up with students from the Master of Science in Business Analytics program changed how I approached problem-solving. Each of us brought different strengths to the table.

Through weekly meetings with our advisor, MSBA Academic Director Carrie Beam, we learned how to structure our work, stay organized using tools like Asana and Gantt charts, and operate as a team with clear goals and accountability.

It felt less like a class and more like working inside a real business.

As part of the practicum, I worked on a data-driven business development strategy with an external client. Due to a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), I’m unable to share specific company details, but the experience provided meaningful insight into how analytics supports real-world decision-making.

The project involved collecting and organizing large datasets, validating data accuracy and building a structured process to support business development opportunities. We explored a range of tools and techniques, including AI, web scraping and data visualization. 

Weekly client meetings provided valuable business context, deepened our understanding of stakeholder needs and demonstrated how analytics can directly support strategic decisions in practice.

One of the most important lessons I took away was that data is only as valuable as the judgment behind it.

Collaborating with MSBA Students

One of the most impactful aspects was collaborating across programs. My teammates introduced me to tools and concepts I had never worked with before, including Python and data visualization. At first, I felt behind. I joined the project after it had already started, and there were moments when I questioned whether I could catch up.

But that discomfort turned into growth.

Working with MSBA students pushed me to learn tools I never thought were part of my path.

Understanding AI Beyond the Hype

Through the project, we worked with large datasets, collecting and organizing information, validating accuracy and building a process to identify potential business opportunities. We explored AI tools, web scraping and data visualization, while also learning an important lesson: Data is only as valuable as the judgment behind it.

Understanding the limitations of AI was just as important as learning how to use it. That insight changed how I think about technology. Instead of seeing AI as a solution on its own, I began to understand its role as a tool that requires critical thinking, validation and context.

Growth Beyond Technical Skills

Beyond the technical skills, the practicum project strengthened my ability to collaborate, present ideas and adapt when priorities shifted. It gave me a clearer understanding of how business strategy evolves in real time and how teams must adjust to meet those changes.

At the same time, my growth wasn’t happening in isolation.

During the most demanding moments, my husband stepped in to support our family, and my daughters reminded me why I started. Their encouragement made it possible for me to keep going, even when I felt stretched.

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A Community That Changes You

What made this experience even more meaningful was the community at UC Davis. My cohort brought together people from different industries, backgrounds and life stages. Learning alongside them expanded how I see problems and solutions.

Through leadership roles and serving as a Bay Area Part-Time MBA ambassador, I also had the opportunity to support other students. I knew what it felt like to consider graduate school while balancing real responsibilities, and I wanted to help others see that it is possible.

The Moment Everything Expanded

Looking back, the practicum was more than a project. It was a turning point.

It showed me that growth often begins in spaces where you feel uncertain. It gave me confidence to step into areas like data and AI that once felt out of reach. And it reinforced that an MBA is not just about learning business fundamentals. It is about expanding how you think, who you learn from and what you believe is possible.

I came to UC Davis looking for growth. I found a community that challenged me, supported me and pushed me beyond what I thought I could do.

And in the process, I showed my daughters something I hope they carry with them: Building your future does not happen all at once. It happens one decision, one challenge and one step forward at a time.