Business analytics alumna from Russia finds home at Costello

Greg Johnson — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:58:33 +0000

Business analytics alumna from Russia finds home at Costello Greg Johnson Tue, 04/15/2025 - 17:58

Born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Marina Komarova, MS Business Analytics ‘24, knew she wanted to get a business degree from a respected American university.

Marina Komarova. Photo provided

She had earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Russia, which included a semester as an exchange student in Finland. ��ɫ��Ƶ had met all the criteria she was looking for—most notably a top business college in a prime location. Not yet confident in her English skills, Komarova entered through the INTO Mason program, which really helped her transition going to school in a new country.

Currently, Komarova is a business analyst at CakeBoxx Technologies, a company that designs and manufactures shipping containers for high-valued oversized types of cargo. Before accepting the position, she worked at the company as an intern while still studying at the Costello College of Business.

Securing the internship was a critical milestone for her. Because of her status as an international student, Komarova found herself under increasing pressure to find a job position or risk leaving the country. After speaking with career services, attending multiple networking events, and refining her online searches, she found CakeBoxx.

“At that point, they had this position that was called a supply chain business analyst intern,” she says. “It was honestly everything that I was looking for in my first internship because I have a background in supply chain, and I was studying business analytics.”

Komarova enjoys how flexible her job is and how it requires both statistics and interpersonal skills. “You need to know how to communicate with different kinds of people from different industries and how to actually put your ideas into words,” she says. Much of what she learned from her Costello business analytics program she was able to apply instantly to her job. “The knowledge I got from classes like marketing analytics predictions is helping me every day in my job. We have very customized solutions for different industries, so we need to do our marketing research and find out who can be our potential clients and how we can make them interested in our products.”

As an international student at George Mason, Komarova never felt out of place or like she did not belong. “My experience was great professors and university staff,” she says. “Everybody was very helpful and very welcoming.” She also thoroughly enjoyed the campus culture outside of the classroom and how the university was constantly holding events not only for academic interests and professional development but also for fun social gatherings. “The social stuff actually helped me a lot,” she says. “I was worried a lot that I wouldn’t feel like I belong here, but that was not the case.”

Marina Komarova has come a long way in a short amount of time. “It’s been a crazy journey with some ups and downs, like from the moment when I was freaking out that that I wouldn’t be able to secure a job to the point when I graduated,” she says. After overcoming uncertainty and bettering herself, she is thriving in a new country and in her career.

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Learn more about Costello's MS in Business Analytics

MS in Business Analytics Student of the Year says hard work, motivation, and organization are key to success

Jennifer Anzaldi — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:37:24 +0000

MS in Business Analytics Student of the Year says hard work, motivation, and organization are key to success Jennifer Anzaldi Fri, 06/28/2024 - 12:37

Katie Kacher, the 2023-24 master’s in business analytics Student of the Year is proof that hard work, motivation, and organization are the key ingredients to success in graduate business school. After earning her bachelor’s in commerce from the University of Virginia, Kacher chose the Donald G. Costello College of Business at ��ɫ��Ƶ for her graduate degree, primarily due to George Mason’s reputation for high caliber coursework and student outcomes. A Northern Virginia resident, Kacher notes that the proximity to campus and the in-state tuition rates were also factors in her decision to be a part of the inaugural class of the master’s in business analytics program.

Katie Kacher

Completing the program in just a year, Kacher has thoroughly enjoyed building her skillset learning multiple programming languages, data visualization tools, and the newest trends in big data. She particularly enjoyed her data mining course with Professor Jean-Pierre Auffret. Kacher says she was impressed with Auffret’s ability to tie in thought-provoking contemporary case studies to class, which called for a good mix of both learning a technical skill and tying it to conceptual real-world elements.

Auffret acknowledged that Kacher’s great interest in learning led to her success in data mining. “Katie is very diligent in mastering complex topics. She made excellent contributions to class discussions with an interest in current issues related to current AI-related issues of trustworthy AI, polices and legislation for AI, and societal considerations for generative AI, such as ChatGPT,” said Auffret. “Katie and her team did a fantastic class project on factors related to U.S. housing affordability.”

Kacher credits her successes as a student to not only the great teachers in the masters of business analytics program, but also to her motivation and dedication to succeeding. “I spend about three hours a week outside of class per course working on classroom-related work,” says Kacher. “I also have a good work-life balance and feel like my organizational skills have helped me stay focused on what’s important.”

Aside from being an exemplary student, Kacher also works as a financial data analyst at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. “This job allows me to use the technical skills I’ve learned and apply them in a way that makes a difference to people in the world,” says Kacher.

She believes that being organized and intentional in dedicating time to both her schoolwork and career has allowed her to balance starting a new position and a new program simultaneously. For tips on how to balance both schoolwork and career, students may meet with Costello College's Office of Career Services. Kacher met with the Office of Career Services team in the fall to discuss her career pathway and satisfaction. “While career services did not directly get me my job, I would recommend students who are unsure of their career path meet with them to start the conversation,” says Kacher.

Kaleb Lewis, director of career services, agrees. “Meeting with a career advisor early in a graduate program encourages students to think strategically about their long-term career plans. By setting clear goals and milestones, students can stay proactive in pursuing opportunities that align with their aspirations while taking classes,” says Lewis. “The Costello College of Business Office of Career Services can help students identify and leverage transformative career resources effectively, maximizing the student’s potential for success both during and after their degree program. Career advisors provide guidance on professional development strategies, including resume building and networking skills. Our office is here to help build a solid foundation for students’ future career endeavors.”

As for advice for students looking to join the MS in business analytics program, Kacher encourages people to go for their dreams. “If it is something you really want, you can find a way to do it. If you are motivated, anything is possible.”

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