International Student Services is pleased to shine a student spotlight on one successful alumni, Mr. Kashif Mehdi. Kashif recently completed his masters degree at UALR in Information Quality and is currently using Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorization to gain valuable experience at Collibra.
In a recent interview with Kashif, he said that he gained valuable skills and connections through the Information Quality program, which is in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He explained that the program, “teaches how to become an expert in data and information management technologies. ” This was a key to his success in the job searching process. As he began talking with different companies, he realized that “everything around us demands for a better solution to handle data complexities. Many companies are striving to gain control over businesses by treating data as an asset.” The Information Quality program teaches students to manage data through training in Data Quality and Data Management, Data Analytics, Data Governance, Entity Resolution and Big Data.
His advice for current students is to “focus on skills that will help you understand the market trend and streamline your goal in life. This is the major area where students get confused and fail to realize why they do things they do. Get your priorities straight and seek for help from your faculty members because they are the experts in their field.”
Kashif acknowledges many people at UALR who guided him in his career path. He thanks Dr. John R. Talburt for “being there at each step of my success and his students, guiding me to choose the best career option.” And gives his best regards to many faculty members include Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, Dr. Nitin Agarwal and Dr. Kim Sung-Kwan for teaching him the skills I needed to obtain this great job offer. He acknowledges his family and friends for their concrete support and is thankful to the staff of International Student Services for encouraging their students.
