Written by Yaw Bredwa-Mensah, Graduate Assistant with the Bronstein Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness
I am currently pursuing my MBA degree with a specialization in Data Analytics at the University of Southern Indiana. I opted for this field because of my keen interest in Data Visualization and how it simplifies complex data structures. My curiosity was further enticed after I completed my undergraduate degree in Banking and Finance in Ghana while completing the CFA Level 1 Program. This made me fall in love with Big Data and the assimilation of Artificial Intelligence in the world of FinTech.
My role at the GWEP includes overseeing the budget and funds for a variety of projects and allocating resources to implement new events or projects. I am also a facilitator in the Unconscious Bias program which seeks to explore and educate on the types of bias we encounter in our daily lives both consciously and unconsciously. I manage the PNC credit card reconciliation of the Bronstein Center and I am currently the Principal Investigator of the GWEP Coordinating Center budget tracking.
I primarily utilize what I have learned from my strategic management, data for decision making classes, professional experience in Ghana, and on the job training for my work with the GWEP. For instance, I have learned how to attract people through GWEP marketing outreach and how to reach out to students who may have some interest in the GWEP’s projects and pursue careers in Gerontology during these outreach programs. I also had the privilege to present on Global Aging Crises and its impact from the Ghanaian Perspective. Moreover, I work on improving the GWEP’s budget tracking system, implementing new methods to make it more efficient and user friendly.
The experiences and knowledge that I have gained from working for the GWEP has been of an enormous help to me in so many aspects of my life. As a graduate student, I realized that the GWEP culture of working in teams brings so much synergy and re-enforces the ideology that two heads are better than one. The culture of cooperation among faculty and students is phenomenal and worth emulating.
These on-the-job experiences I’ve gained from working in the GWEP have further enhanced my skills, which fortified my ability to work in teams, appreciating the integrity and mutual respect of each team member. My experience here will play a vital role in my future career prospects. Moving forward, I know the GWEP is going to induce an atmosphere for me to learn, relearn, and metamorphose into a world-class graduate ready to take on the world.