Matthew Stockhaus

Business Analytics, Class of 2022

Senior Business Program Manager, Microsoft

This interview was conducted by Caroline K. Reff, a freelance writer and editor who teaches news and public relations writing at Syracuse University.

Matthew Stockhaus had a graduate degree and a full-time career as a senior business program manager at Microsoft, but he still felt he had more to achieve. Operating in a highly competitive tech world, he knew he could advance his career by becoming proficient in business administration and data analytics. 

And so, Stockhaus made the bold decision to simultaneously pursue the online MBA, the online M.S. in Business Analytics, and a data science certificate through Syracuse University.

“The flexibility of the online MBA and M.S. programs allowed me to balance work and school without sacrificing professional quality or making major lifestyle adjustments.”

Stockhaus manages the data analytics program for a specific business unit at Microsoft. He uses data to drive positive organizational change, empowers stakeholders to adopt a data-driven approach, and provides strategic insights to influence business objectives.

Juggling this fulfilling career with a challenging academic journey was only possible with the flexibility offered by online training. However, the three years Stockhaus worked while studying required perseverance, self-discipline, and excellent time-management skills, so he was proud to graduate in May 2022. 

“I became a more well-rounded technical professional who is capable of approaching work with a more holistic understanding of the needs across the industry.”

He credits his supply chain, leadership, and Lean Six Sigma coursework for giving him in-depth knowledge of key business value drivers. He also gained a foundational understanding of the “why and how” in organizational processes—knowledge he has already applied to his current job. 

In addition, the coursework in big data, finance, and accounting analytics deepened his knowledge and technical capabilities for leveraging programming languages like R and Python. He can now detect anomalies more accurately and forecast business needs.

“I’m very thankful to the Whitman faculty for sharing their industry expertise and experience with the students, as well as demonstrating how theories and concepts we were learning could be applied in the real world.”

With two diplomas in hand, Stockhaus is certain that pushing himself to earn these qualifications has strengthened his reputation and credibility in his current role at Microsoft. He adds that his education and the specialized knowledge and skills he gained at the Whitman School of Management would also help him to advance his career.

“I chose to take on a big task, but now that it’s completed, I’m so pleased that I chose Syracuse University and the Whitman School to help me reach my goals.”

Stockhaus added he is certain that completing his two online degree programs and a certificate program at Syracuse University gave him the building blocks necessary to develop and contribute to his professional success.