MSIS degree turns classically trained flautist into associate solution engineer

Ashley Chen, MSIS’23, embarked on her journey as a flautist over 15 years ago and earned her bachelor’s degree in music from the Jacobs School of Music. While her love and passion for music amplified over the years, the pandemic presented an unexpected career interest.

“The pandemic was a turnaround time for me,” Chen says. “All live performances were canceled, and it was also when my father implemented a new ERP system which transformed his business. Intrigued by it, I decided to explore alternate career possibilities. I knew Kelley’s MSIS program would be the right fit to explore diverse areas.”

Hands-on experience leading to a solution engineer career path

The MSIS technology bootcamp helped her build strong conceptual foundations, and despite being new to programming languages, she felt confident going into the Core semester. 

In addition to her studies, Chen worked part time as a graduate assistant and IT Help Desk Support at Kelley and interned as a technology analyst at Kanaan & Associates. The internship provided her with real-world business experience and served as a valuable stepping stone to kickstart her career in the technological space, she explained. 

“The skills I gained through the MSIS program were highly transferrable—I could straightaway apply what I learned toward my work at Kanaan.”

Ashley Chen, MSIS’23, embarked on her journey as a flautist over 15 years ago and earned her bachelor’s degree in music from the Jacobs School of Music.

“I was very fortunate to have great teammates throughout the MSIS program, and one of the biggest takeaways was being able to effectively work in a team of people coming from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and opinions.”

Graduate career services that excel among management information systems graduate programs

Chen also attributes part of her success to Kelley’s Graduate Career Services. She emphasizes that students should be proactive when scheduling interview preparation and coaching sessions.  

“The GCS coaches are a valuable resource, and I would highly recommend everyone make the most of them.” 

Following her passion for technology, Chen earned a position at Appian Corporation as an associate solution engineer in January 2023 and has since been promoted to a full-time solution engineer. 

Learn more about the MSIS program.