Gary Hyland

Master’s in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Industrial Sales Director at Vancouver Bolt and Supply

Portland, OR

Pivoting from Sales to Analytics 

Gary Hyland may not be the typical student to enroll in Pepperdine’s Masters in Business Analytics program. After all, the Portland resident had already completed his MBA at the University of Oregon in 2019. However, an elective course he took on analytics piqued his interest in pursuing the subject more, and in pivoting from a career in sales to the field of business analytics, Pepperdine’s online program was ideal.

“The MSBA program has given me more depth to understanding what I want, and a better understanding of what a potential position as an analyst may require.” 

Learning from Classmates Working in the Field

While Gary is not yet working in the field of analytics, he has been able to learn from classmates who are. In his Process Analysis and Innovation class, for instance, he worked on a project to improve a business process at another student’s job. His team figured out how to streamline a three-month process into one month, potentially saving the company hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. 

“The classes are interesting and allow you an opportunity to explore different industries, like healthcare analytics and social media analytics. There are so many different course options that you can see what you like and what you don’t.” 

Creating Community 

Coming from an in-person MBA program, Gary found Pepperdine’s online MSBA program to be a bit of a challenge at first—until the immersion weekend. Having that live interaction allowed him to get to know people on a more personal basis and helped build a sense of community that carried over to his online experiences. 

The online program is a great culture. Everybody’s friendly and positive, wants to learn, and wants to get to know you.”

A Large and Active Network

As someone looking to make a career pivot, Gary was especially attracted by Pepperdine’s reputation and robust networking opportunities, including the company visits offered by the career center. He traveled from Portland to L.A. to experience what a day on the job was like at Hyundai. 

“When I complete my MSBA degree, I will feel a sense of accomplishment graduating from such a prestigious school, and especially being able to survive two master’s programs back to back. I’m optimistic about the future, thanks to Pepperdine and the opportunities that it has provided me.”

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