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By Michelle Lopez
Kinnari Patel (BBA '20, MSIS '22) beams with pride when she talks about her experience with the ATOM (analytics, technology, operations and management) Pink Tank leadership program that gave her the tools to realize her full potential for a successful career in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field.
During her undergraduate studies, Patel was more focused on the creative component of marketing rather than the technological aspect. But her knack for numbers was quickly awakened.
"If you would have asked me three years before I was in my master's [program] if I see myself pursuing a career in STEM, I would have been like ‘that just seems too optimistic,'" said Patel. "But right now, I'm able to confidently wake up, be grateful and enjoy my work, enjoy what I'm doing."
Born and raised in India, Patel moved to the U.S. after high school and was drawn to FIU Business for its strong reputation. She earned her bachelor's in business degree and later a master's in information systems.
During her undergraduate studies at FIU Business, Patel was pursuing a marketing career when she met Gladys Simpson, teaching professor of information systems and business analytics at FIU Business, who noted her keen interest in analytics. She encouraged Patel to join the Pink Tank, a mentoring, networking and competition experience that aims to bring awareness to the gender gap in STEM-related fields.
The program offered her hands-on experience with real-world data problems, allowing Patel to develop technical skills in tools like Tableau and Power BI, both crucial for her career in data analytics.
One of Pink Tank's hackathon-style competitions focused on census data collection, sorting and visualization; the challenges also helped students sharpen their soft skills and think quickly on their feet in high-pressure scenarios.
"I was not exposed to real-life data problems. I had done some exercises during my master's classes; however, this competition gave me a platform to work with raw data, where I, along with my teammate, were able to apply analytics knowledge and propose a solution for society, businesses and schools on how to encourage females in STEM fields," said Patel. "To do it as a competition with other people coming from STEM backgrounds, they had a pretty powerful base and foundation and to be able to do that along with them was an experience that I emphasized in interviews when I was looking for a job."
Now, two years into her career as a data analyst at a Fortune 500 energy company based in Miami, Patel is poised to continue bringing value to her team and making an impact at the company.
"I just never knew I had that hidden power, that I had that analytical mindset," said Patel. "I think I have a great future."
"I just never knew I had that hidden power, that I had that analytical mindset. I think I have a great future."
– Kinnari Patel
The six-month Pink Tank program was developed by the directors of the ATOM Think Tank, a technology-focused organization run by faculty from the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics at FIU Business. Launched in 2021, it's funded by a $50,000 gift from BankUnited.
Patel attributes much of her success to family support as well as the mentorship she received from Simpson, faculty director of the Association for Information Systems, and Nicole Wishart, teaching professor of information systems and business analytics at FIU Business. Her mentor from BankUnited, Erica Ortiz Anderson, senior vice president of cooperate development, was also a source of encouragement and urged Patel to stay in touch throughout her career.
The Pink Tank also provided networking opportunities that proved instrumental in her career. Programs like Pink Tank, she noted, offer females a platform to learn, enjoy and explore the perks of STEM fields.
"Along with all the hard work come the rewards and high-paying jobs and career growth would be the reward," said Patel. "We live in such a fast-paced century where a lot of work and jobs are done on foundation of data, may it be medical, engineering or math, and these industries are the base of the economy, so it will always be a growing industry."
