Lindsay Starner

MBA Class of 2013

Undergrad Williams College

Previous Employer Digitas

How did Bentley help you get to where you are today in your career?

My MBA with a concentration in Business Analytics has definitely helped “future proof” my career. I now have a transferable skill set that helps me tackle nearly any problem clients pose. Through my coursework, I became a problem solver who can isolate an issue, assess potential approaches, and provide meaningful insights and recommendations that can drive a client’s business forward.

What are the top three skills you gained in your program at Bentley?

• A deep understanding of critical business drivers.
• An ability to execute quantitative analysis techniques.
• Knowledge of databases, including the setup, maintenance, and query language.

The combination of these three skill sets has allowed my career to flex along with the industry, as new types of clients (e.g., a Chief Analytics Officer), new types of datasets (e.g., IoT and unstructured data), and techniques (e.g., rapid multivariate testing at scale and application of random forests) emerge.

"I gained the skills to future-proof my career."

What would you tell someone considering your program at Bentley?

I would tell them to do it. The skills I learned through my Bentley program had a practical application while I was completing it and led to immediate career growth. However, I think the best part of my Bentley education is how it prepared me for continued growth in my field. I learned techniques and frameworks – but I also learned how to think, problem solve, and apply those skills across multiple situations. I’m confident that wherever my career takes me, my MBA from Bentley will continue to add value into the future.