PMBC Student Reflection | Long Keyu's Business Analytics Journey at Lehigh University: From Mechanical Engineering to Data-Driven Business Exploration

Since the launch of our Alumni Interview series, we have continuously invited past PMBC (Pre-Master Bootcamp) students to share their study abroad experiences, major selections, and thoughts on career development.

In this issue, we invite PMBC student Long Keyu to share his learning experience from graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Shanghai University to pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) at Lehigh University in the United States.

From a background in mechanical engineering to the field of business analytics, and from exploring computer technology during his undergraduate studies to learning data analysis in graduate school, Long Keyu has embarked on a new path of growth through interdisciplinary transformation.

From Mechanical Engineering to Business Analytics: Exploring New Directions in the Data-Driven Era

Hello everyone, my name is Long Keyu.

I graduated from Shanghai University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In February of this year, I took the PMBC (Pre-Master Bootcamp) master's preparatory course online and have now officially entered Lehigh University in the U.S. to pursue a Master's degree in Business Analytics.

During my undergraduate studies, I gradually developed a strong interest in computers and participated in several projects related to sensors, drones, and human-computer interaction.

These experiences made me realize that data and computing technology are constantly influencing the development of modern technology. Business Analytics is an interdisciplinary field that integrates business, computer science, and statistics, helping companies optimize decision-making through data analysis.

With the deepening of digital transformation, I believe that Business Analytics has vast development space in the future workplace, so I chose this direction for further studies.

Today, I hope to provide some reference for students planning to study abroad by sharing my learning and life experiences at Lehigh University and in the PMBC program.

First Impressions of Lehigh University: Diverse Opportunities in a Quiet Campus

Before coming to Lehigh University, I didn't know much about the school or the city of Bethlehem where it is located.

Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a small town with a rich history and culture.

Although the campus environment is relatively quiet, the location of the school is very convenient. It takes about an hour to drive to Philadelphia and about 1.5 hours to Manhattan, New York, allowing students to enjoy a comfortable learning environment while also accessing the resources and opportunities of big cities.

When I first arrived here, I was very impressed by the campus environment.

The local residents of Bethlehem are friendly, and life facilities are perfect. The Lehigh University campus is large, with simple and elegant architectural styles and a beautiful campus environment.

Even in the summer, I often walk around the campus with friends to feel the quiet and comfortable learning atmosphere here.

Business Analytics Learning: Connecting Business, Computer Science, and Statistics

My mechanical engineering learning experience during my undergraduate studies exposed me to a large number of technical projects.

In the process of participating in projects related to sensors, drones, and human-computer interaction, I gradually realized the importance of data.

What attracts me to the Business Analytics major is that it can combine business knowledge, computer technology, and statistical analysis methods to help companies discover problems and make decisions through data.

From retail and finance to manufacturing, data analysis is influencing the development of more and more industries.

Business analysts support companies in optimizing operational processes and improving efficiency through data mining, model building, and predictive analysis.

Choosing the direction of business analytics is not only because it has a certain connection with my past technical background, but also because I see the important value of data analysis capabilities in future career development.

From PMBC to MSBA: Growth and Challenges in Interdisciplinary Learning

After entering the Lehigh University Business Analytics master's program, I gradually felt the challenges brought by the rhythm of graduate study.

Business Analytics courses involve a lot of mathematics, statistics, and data processing content, and some course tasks are heavy with a tight learning rhythm.

For example, in the data science course, we need to complete learning from R language and SQL basic applications to machine learning, data dimensionality reduction, and principal component analysis within a short time.

For a student with a mechanical engineering background, switching to business analytics is not an easy thing.

Before entering Lehigh University, the PMBC (Pre-Master Bootcamp) master's preparatory course helped me build relevant foundations in advance.

Through PMBC, I learned:

• R language;

• Python programming;

• Basics of statistics.

These knowledge helped me better adapt to the study in the master stage of business analytics, and also narrowed the gap between me and classmates with business or data analysis backgrounds.

In addition, the classroom mode of the PMBC course is relatively close to the U.S. graduate classroom, allowing me to adapt to the teaching methods of discussion, cooperation, and autonomous learning in advance.

Lehigh Classroom Experience: Multi-dimensional Support from Professors and Teaching Assistants

During my studies at Lehigh University, I felt the school's concern for student growth.

Professors in Business Analytics courses not only help students understand complex statistical concepts but also explain them in combination with practical application scenarios.

At the same time, professors also provide advice on career planning and academic development.

The teaching assistant team will also timely help students solve problems in learning.

These supports allowed me to maintain confidence and continuously improve my professional capabilities when facing high-intensity course challenges.

Actively Integrating into Campus: Growth Brought by Cross-Cultural Communication

As an international student, I realized the importance of actively integrating into the local environment.

When I first came to the United States, facing different cultural and language environments, many international students might worry about communication barriers.

But I think as long as you take the initiative to take the first step, cross-cultural communication is not as difficult as imagined.

In the first class, I met an American Indian classmate with a background from Pennsylvania State University.

At first, we just talked simply, but because we had common interests, we gradually became friends later and worked out and played ball together.

In addition, I also met a senior student in the business school doctoral program through a friend.

He was very enthusiastic, helping me get familiar with the campus environment and taking me to understand the living areas around the school.

One experience impressed me deeply. He took me along the school mountain road to the Iacocca observation tower, from where you can enjoy the scenery of Bethlehem and the Lehigh University campus.

These experiences made me find that American classmates are also willing to communicate with international students, and they are full of interest in different cultural backgrounds.

As long as you communicate actively, you can build cross-cultural friendships and gain new perspectives from them.

Campus Life: Finding a Balance Between Study and Life

Lehigh University not only provided me with academic challenges but also let me experience a rich campus life.

The school's Taylor Gym has perfect fitness facilities, including basketball courts and swimming pools, which is a place I and my friends often go to in our spare time.

Sometimes I study until late at night at the business school, and I can see fireflies and small deer on the campus on the way back to the dormitory.

This experience of combining the natural environment with campus life made me feel the unique campus atmosphere of Lehigh University.

Some of the pictures above are taken by Long Keyu.

Here, I not only met friends from different countries but also gained communication experiences from different cultural backgrounds.

The open and inclusive learning environment of Lehigh University allows students from different backgrounds to find their own development space.

Conclusion: Starting a New Exploration at Lehigh University

From a mechanical engineering undergraduate background to business analytics master's study, and then to gradually adapting to the U.S. graduate education model, this experience allowed me to continue to grow.

Lehigh University not only helped me improve my professional ability in the field of business analytics but also allowed me to meet new friends from different countries and expand my horizons.

In the future, I hope to continue to improve my data analysis ability, explore more possibilities in the field of business analytics, and continue to grow in the new learning journey.

Looking forward to meeting more like-minded friends at Lehigh University in the future.