The Analytics Practicum is a core component of the MSA curriculum that gives students an opportunity to work in teams on challenging projects with real-world data sponsored by industry. The Institute is pleased to announce our project sponsors for 2009-10 include:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina — is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.7 million members.
- CA — is a $4 billion provider of enterprise IT management based in Islandia, New York.
- Constellation Energy — is a $20 billion supplier of energy products and services to electric and natural gas customers and headquartered in Baltimore.
- Deluxe Corporation — based in Minnesota, Deluxe is a $1.5 billion financial products and services company that serves 4 million small businesses and financial institutions.
- Hallmark Cards — a privately held greetings card company based in Kansas City, Missouri, with revenues of $4.4 billion and 16,000 employees worldwide.
- IBM Corporation — the global leader in computer systems and services with $98.8 billion in revenue and 386,000 employees worldwide.
- Lulu Enterprises — an entrepreneurial Raleigh-based company that enables authors to publish works and connect with readers.
- Railinc — is the largest source of real-time railroad data, headquartered in Cary, NC, and a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads.
The practicum runs throughout the fall and spring semesters and serves as an integrative experience for the entire MSA curriculum. The practicum includes specialized instructional elements to develop teamwork, project management, data cleaning and handling, communication, and presentation skills. The practicum culminates each year in April with a written report and presentations to the sponsors.