Patrick Stanley Memorial Scholarship

“This is too much,” said many of the struggling students I taught essay writing to as a middle and high school teacher. Growing up and teaching in a crime-ridden neighborhood has always made me eager to want to fight for the rights of marginalized communities in some way. I just didn’t know which professional avenue to pursue. Therefore, after studying criminology in undergrad at American University in Washington, DC I spent the next 10 years off to figure that out. After a couple of years of using data to drive results, it finally came to me. From using data to improve student academic, behavioral and personal outcomes, to working in the nonprofit, government, and tech sectors, the 10-year gap continued to spark my interest in leveraging data. In particular, I wanted to use data as a means of social justice and to drive results for marginalized communities. Therefore, I decided to enroll in the University of California - Berkeley’s Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) program. With a foundational understanding of data, the Master of Information and Data Science is helping me take my data skills to the next level to become a Data Scientist, Architect or Engineer. Becoming a data scientist, architect or engineer would be both personally and professionally enriching. On a personal level, there are few architects of color fighting for marginalized communities. Therefore, on a professional level, Berkeley’s MIDS program will allow me to improve my technical data skills in SQL, R and Python. Additionally, it will also help me learn how to use automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build and maintain systems for storing and extracting data. In addition, I am slowly building a nonprofit and government consulting business that supports clients who use data and communications tactics to drive results for marginalized communities. I help them clean, manage, update, and analyze their data. I often choose to work with many smaller nonprofits and government entities that lack internal staff with technical data skills. Most clients also struggle to automate large amounts of data as well as create useful databases. Because I am building a business and would like to improve my business acumen, I also would like to pursue my Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA) in the future. The quantitative skills obtained from Berkeley’s MIDS program combined with an EMBA will allow me to power the philanthropic data work smaller nonprofits and government entities do by building robust data systems. While at Berkeley’s MIDS program, I intend to work full-time as well. I am currently pursuing opportunities to combine my data skills and passion for criminal, juvenile and social justice. Simultaneously, I work on campus as a part-time Graduate Student Instructor (GSI). I help teach a course on the History of Information. The goal of the class is to help students become better critical thinkers and understand how information has developed throughout history. I attend lectures two nights a week, and then help facilitate student-led presentations and discussions every Friday morning. As a GSI, I use data like I did when I was a teacher to help measure my students’ outcomes in the course. Whenever I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I always hear my students’ voices saying, “this is too much.” But then I remember how support and guidance helped them remain tenacious in their hard work. Going back to school after 10 years is challenging. However, I believe Berkeley’s rigorous MIDS program will provide the skills and support I need to help my clients use data to advocate for communities that often cannot speak for themselves.