Jocelinne Martinez, a TCU Neeley MS Business Analytics student, shares her educational journey from fashion merchandising to data analytics. Discover how hands-on learning and industry connections at TCU Neeley shaped her student experience. Her story is one of blending creativity and the power of data to drive compelling storytelling.
Jocelinne Martinez’s journey is a testament to the power of cross-discipline strategic thinking. An American student with Mexican roots, she began her business education by studying the Fashion Merchandising BA program at TCU Neeley School of Business. She completed a double minor in French and Business. After an enriching undergraduate experience, she felt compelled to continue her educational journey at TCU. She is currently completing the TCU Neeley Business Analytics program while working as a Graduate Assistant (GA) Marketing Analyst at TCU Neeley. She plans to graduate in 2025.
Her unique educational journey is about discovering one’s vision and confidently pursuing one’s passions.
Before diving into all things data, Jocelinne was involved in the fashion world, earning her undergrad degree in Fashion Merchandising.
Alongside her studies, she participated in numerous extracurricular activities that further enriched her experience, as well as her CV. She received the Most Advanced French Student Award. She was also a Community Scholar and received a full scholarship to TCU Neeley. As a Community Scholar, Jocelinne had to maintain academic requirements while balancing professional development training and completing 20 hours of community service each month.
Alongside her studies and responsibilities as a Community Scholar, she was working in the fashion industry. She worked with Kate Spade and a local boutique called Hale House. These roles provided her with hands-on experience in retail, including trend forecasting and customer engagement. Through this, she developed key skills like time management, adaptability, and problem-solving.
She also had the unique opportunity to represent TCU Neeley at New York Fashion Week during a 4-day trip. She cites this as one of her most memorable highlights at TCU Neeley. (05:09)
In addition to her work and studies, Jocelinne played a key role in producing two student fashion shows at TCU. Through this experience, she gained invaluable leadership skills.
She reflects, “I realized that leadership isn’t just about making decisions, but it’s about creating clarity, fostering teamwork, and standing firm when needed. Those lessons I’ll carry with me far beyond, not just the runway, but also in Business Analytics.” (11:57)
Ultimately, her volunteer work and extracurriculars further reinforced the skills she gained from her studies. Through her fashion ventures, she developed key skills that she can leverage in her future endeavors in business analytics.
After completing her BS in Fashion Merchandising, Jocelinne felt unsure of what path to take next and had a desire to continue learning, specifically at TCU Neeley.
While she was landing several work interviews, she felt that her educational journey wasn’t quite finished. Upon receiving an admissions email about the MS Business Analytics course, she felt immediately intrigued. She reflects, “It just stopped me in my tracks. It felt like a sign.” (03:46)
After reading the course brochure and learning more about the program, she decided this was the right next step for her. The interdisciplinary nature of the program resonated with her, which combined data-driven strategy, problem-solving, and business impact.
The program also featured technical skill development, such as learning programming languages, SQL and Python. This combination ensures that students are well-prepared for life after college in real-world business settings. (03:53)
Other key factors included the hands-on learning approach, close industry connections, and the excellent student experience at TCU Neeley. Jocelinne emphasizes, “I have formed incredible friendships, built strong professional connections, and found mentors who really guided me along the way.” (04:28)
These combined factors assured Jocelinne that continuing her studies at TCU Neeley was the right next step for her. The program offered her the business know-how and deep-dive into data analytics that she was looking for. TCU Neeley offered a supportive and enriching environment to further develop herself.
While fashion and business analytics may initially seem worlds apart, Jocelinne highlights that her background in Fashion Merchandising provided her with a strong foundation for Business Analytics.
In her fashion merchandising course, she built a strong foundation in creativity, strategic thinking, and market analysis. These skills, among many others, have come in handy in her MS Business Analytics course. (08:21)
The TCU Neeley Business Analytics (MSBA) program further helped Jocelinne understand the diversity of the field. Through courses such as Data Visualization, Business Analytics, and Machine Learning she came to realize that data is far more than just numbers and graphs. There are three primary career paths, which include: Data Analyst, Data Scientist, and Data Engineer. After taking more advanced courses, she discovered that she wanted to become a Data Analyst.
Through the course, she was able to deep dive into the field of data analytics. She reflects, “I quickly learned that it’s about storytelling, problem-solving, and uncovering those insights that drive decisions.” (14:46)
She had a full circle moment when she realized that learning to understand data was like learning a language. She thought back to her minor in French and uncovered that learning about data analytics required practice, pattern recognition, and application to become proficient. (15:22)
Through the program, she discovered her passion for data analytics. The program ultimately shaped her future career goals. She remarks, “My dream is to be a lead as an analyst at a couture fashion house or for a conglomerate like LVMH, where I could really blend those passions for fashion and data. I want to use analytics to help luxury brands make smarter decisions.” (15:52)
She is already applying the tools and skills she has learned from the MSBA program in her current role as GA Marketing Analyst at TCU Neeley.
Having a newfound appreciation for data analytics, Jocelinne plans to combine her passions in her future career. Leveraging her skills and experiences from both studies gives her a unique advantage in a niche field.
As she nears the end of her studies at TCU Neeley, Jocelinne reflects on her study journey and offers advice to prospective TCU Neeley Business Analytics students.
She advises, “Be proactive, engage in those class discussions, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. The more involved you are, the more recognition you’ll get… This recognition often turns into those unexpected opportunities.” (18:55)
Jocelinne Martinez’s story is an inspiring example of how diverse interests and passions can converge into a successful and fulfilling career. She has proven that a background in fashion can seamlessly translate into the data-driven world of business analytics. Her journey through TCU Neeley’s MSBA program is a testament to the program’s ability to equip students with the skills and know-how to make informed decisions and pursue their passions.
Her story also shows the importance of taking opportunities, stepping out of your comfort zone, and staying curious, both within the classroom and beyond.
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