My Passions Anonymous

At my Kaiser SYEP Internship this summer, I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Calvin Wheeler, the physician in chief for Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fremont, CA. In our conversation, we talked about the future of the health care industry; as soon as I asked what career paths he expects to be in greatest demand five years down the line, Dr. Wheeler's eyes lit up as he proclaimed, "Data Science! Big data analytics is exploding, and this will revolutionize the way that we treat medicine."

Dr. Wheeler then explained to me that just a few weeks earlier, his alma mater, the University of Michigan, had invested $100 million in a brand new Data Science initiative to create opportunities for students in big data analytics. After our interview, I researched the Michigan Institute of Data Science (MIDAS) and since then, it has become clear to me that the Data Science major within the college of Literature, Sciences and Arts is the perfect fit for my career goals.

As Michigan is one of three colleges in the country that currently offer a Data Science undergraduate major, I would have a pioneering educational experience if I were to attend it. In addition, this major would offer me a multidisciplinary approach to learning, which...