MBA Special Topics: How AI Works
“I wanted to tell you that literally yesterday (3 days after the weekend course), I was attending a presentation, and the Contractor research team had a few slides on the ML they planned to complete to augment the research project. Last week, I would not have understood their slides, but this week I could! I was able to have a 15 minute discussion back and forth with their ML engineer about what he planned to do and why he was structuring it that way. I’m still not convinced it’s going to work, but I was the only one on my team who was able to speak at that level and contribute to the discussion on that topic. I didn’t expect the class to be useful so quickly, but it was great!”
“The AI course was really helpful in improving my understanding of overall AI architecture at a high level. This course build my interest in learning more about AI infrastructure. I got to know firsthand how powerful is AI especially Gen AI. Moreover the guest lectures were very informative and Dr Chung’s easy going style very well suits this short course. I already requested if i can take some AI courses as my MBA electives to build my AI foundation.”
“I found this class to be a very insightful experience and would recommend it to everyone regardless of their opinion on AI as I believe it has helped prepare me for the changing landscape of my career as AI becomes a more prominent tool.”
“I have learnt a significant amount of information in a field that I had no experience in prior to this class. Even using the JASP program was very new to me and it has helped me to conceptualize the way that neural networks models work. I feel much more prepared to go out into the workplace with a better understanding of the basics of AI because of this assignment. I thought that building an AI model would be much more difficult than this actually was. This exercise was challenging, however it did not require a substantial amount of coding which is what I originally thought would go into building an AI model. This exercise was exceptionally helpful in conceptualizing how AI works.”
“The JASP exercises allowed me to apply the knowledge gained from lectures and understand the mathematics behind how AI works. I knew there would be complexity when creating an AI system, however, this course taught me how digestible the basic components that create AI are. I found that these exercises and lectures were helpful when understanding the basics of AI, and knowing how to articulate the concepts to others with no experience in the field.”
MBA AI Residency: How AI Works and Business Applications
“I actually would have loved to skip the football game and attend another lecture!”
“The biggest takeaway is understanding how best to relate the concepts of AI to someone non–technical. Professor Chung did an excellent job of explaining it with the Zillow example and using a classmate who is a real estate agent as a sounding board. It showed her breadth of knowledge, and she masterfully did it in a way that I will take back when discussing AI/ML applications with less technical people.”
“The most important aspect of the residency course that helped me change the way I thought about AI applications in business would be the lectures presented by Professor Chung. I love how she structured the material for non-STEM majors/academics to best understand what AI is, how it works, and how relevant it is to today’s industries. Even complex concepts such as neural networks and supervised learning, which I never thought I would fully grasp, were made very clear.”
“The materials most useful for the Residency course were Professor Chung’s presentation and lecture materials – the walk through of the specifics and explanations were immensely helpful in clarifying definitions and usage. I very much enjoyed the lecture portion of the weekend.”
“The AI Residency Weekend at William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business has been a transformative experience that has broadened my understanding of AI applications. Because of this course, I’ve gained insights to better shape how I perceive AI’s role in my professional domain, the pharmaceutical industry, as well as in both business and everyday life application.”
“The concept of deep learning was an enlightening aspect of the course and Dr. Rachel Chung was a fantastic educator during the live seminar. The example of Zillow’s Zestimate and its continuous improvement through deep learning algorithms showcased the real-world impact of AI. This knowledge opened my eyes to the potential applications in my field. I see opportunities for AI to enhance demand forecasting in pharmaceutical distribution, improve the accuracy of inventory management, and streamline customer service by providing more tailored and efficient support.”
“The course was not only informative but also engaging and motivating because of the way it simplified difficult AI ideas, clarified its jargon, and provided examples from real-world AI applications. I acquired a more thorough grasp of AI and its possibilities thanks to this all-encompassing strategy, which also made the learning process more fun and interesting. Thank you for providing this awesome opportunity!”
“The residency weekend vastly changed my views on how AI works. It went from something that I believed was too advanced for me to understand to becoming something I could discuss and understand the essential components. Because of this, I can now understand where/how we would want to apply AI to business. Understanding basic terms has demystified much of the allure surrounding AI for me.”
“The most important thing I learned at the residency weekend is how AI is “simply” a series of spreadsheets funneling through one another. That was my biggest breakthrough which made all of this click for me.”
“The residency course had a profound impact on the way I perceive AI, not only in applications in business but in general. Professor Chung’s lectures were exceptional in her ability to break down the complex topic of AI and introduce the concepts in a digestible manner within a short period.”
“The exercise we did during Professor Chung’s lecture was the most useful in helping me and greatly contributed to my understanding of AI. The AI buzzwords were challenging to understand before the residency began, but after the lectures these words seemed like simple concepts. For example, “features” went over my head until Professor Chung equated it to an Excel column.”
“The lecture given by Dr. Chung was extremely insightful and the references to Zillow and deep learning within their system were right on target for me as a Real Estate Broker. After 12 years in the real estate industry, I was able to gain a better understanding of what Zillow is and now will give them the respect that is due for the powerful machine that they’ve created.”
“Thank you so much for accepting and teaching this class. I was very excited to take what I learned to work and share. Very valuable class. I am responsible for marketing and we have new machine learning capabilities in our product for order management / point of sale with SAP. Very exciting, but it has been a challenge to understand what it does because I don’t know the technology. You were able to explain in a way that I can take back to my team and we can now better explore the business challenges that we are solving and how to articulate the value to our customers. Very, very valuable weekend for me. I’m so appreciative!”
“The pivotal element of the residency that significantly reshaped my perception of AI pertained to the initial lecture’s method of presentation. The delivery of information was notably effective as it demystified the complex concepts in a manner that was understandable and devoid of intimidation. Notably, the lecture utilized a relatable analogy featuring a dog and its owner walking through AI, presenting the intricacies in remarkably simplistic terms. This approach, particularly beneficial for someone unfamiliar with AI, facilitated rapid comprehension and subsequent eagerness to delve deeper into the subject matter. Understanding these foundational principles accelerated my assimilation into discussions, allowing me to keep pace with individuals with greater expertise.”
“Past experiences in similar settings led me to believe that the lectures were going to be very dull, but it was anything but. Dr. Chung made sure to make it as engaging as possible and fostered an environment where people could ask their questions. Her lecture and manner of delivery took a “call-and-response” approach. Many participants appreciated her guide walkthroughs of the A.I. concepts that were part of the pre-work. Additionally, the worksheets allowed us to engage with our group members while learning new concepts.”
“At the closing of the weekend, the question of how to sell AI to clients was asked. A big part of Dr. Chung’s response was to demystify AI. This is what the material and the lectures did for me and I think that is one of the most profound parts. I am by far no expert in AI, but I do have a much better understanding that AI is really just formulas predicting an outcome.”
“The most useful material was the lecture. The professor was amazing, as she delivered a compelling lecture and was extremely knowledgeable. Additionally, the survey at the beginning was very useful in that it put into perspective the four parts of AI: algebra, probability, writing code, and predictions. All four of those ideas are familiar to me, so the concept of AI did not seem so daunting when put in those terms.”
“Skeptical. That’s the word I would say best described my frame of mind approaching our residency weekend topic. The business press has been filled with hype and cursory level articles purporting to be deep dives on the topic. Why would the weekend be any better than what I could read in The Economist’s Technology Quarterly? And now, what word(s) would I use to describe our weekend after the fact?Pleased, curious and appreciative. Our Saturday lecture did an excellent job of moving to a reasonably in-depth presentation of artificial intelligence (AI) generally and a look at fundamental issues relating to its operation, potential and downsides. The lecture served as an excellent business and scientific literature review article for lay people. The Sunday project was a helpful way to translate our little bit of AI knowledge into something we (should) know a bit more about—turning good ideas into practical business propositions.”
“During the residency course, I gained more in-depth knowledge of AI than in any prior school or work-related courses/teachings. Professor Chung did an excellent job of providing pre-work videos to help better understand the world of AI. The most significant thing I gained was learning that AI-based systems discover rules rather than being rule-based system that follows the rules.”
“Thank you for a fantastic residency experience, and the opportunity to learn from your insights and experience in AI.”
“Arriving with minimal prior exposure to AI, I greatly appreciated the preparatory materials provided, especially the instructional videos. Being inclined towards visual learning, I devoted significant time to reviewing and re-watching these videos in advance to establish a solid understanding of the foundational concepts, allowing me to draw upon my notes from the preparatory videos and respond to the questions with relative ease. Regarding the single neuron simulator, I found great value in observing Professor Chung’s demonstration as opposed to solely relying on textual resources. The video presentation facilitated a methodical walkthrough, allowing me to proceed at my own pace, pausing to comprehend the rationale behind specific decision-making processes. The visual learning experience significantly enhanced my understanding of AI models compared to a theoretical approach. Witnessing the model’s self-training process was particularly enlightening.”
“Among the provided resources and executed exercises, I found the single neuron simulator, buzzword assignment, and pre–readings to be particularly advantageous. These elements not only captured my interest but also heightened my excitement for Dr. Chung’s lectures. The prospect of interacting with her and delving into various topics was highly appealing. Dr. Chung’s profound expertise and lectures truly impressed me; I express my gratitude for the privilege of learning from her.”
“When I first realized the subject of this residency would be on AI, I was a bit nervous as I knew nothing about the subject, and thought it would be complex and not easily understood. I’d also heard a lot of negativity around the subject, and I was slightly prepared to hear how AI would soon take over all we know about business and daily life. However, this was far from the case. One of the most important aspects I learned about AI was the fact that it is only just beginning to gain traction and it has a long way to go before “taking over” anything. AI is only mimicking human intelligence, and ultimately, it’s still just a bunch of zeros and ones. As it relates to business, I learned that AI is a great tool, but it also takes a hefty amount of effort to be effective. This residency course demystified many of the unknowns I had about AI, and I’m excited to continue learning about the subject.”
“The elements from this residency that helped me understand AI the most were Dr. Chung’s lectures and our opportunities for questions and answers. Dr. Chung’s step-by-step breakdown of the material helped me wrap my brain around the concepts much easier than watching videos or reading the material. I was most nervous to learn about the mathematical and computational aspects of AI. Still, she was even able to simplify this area by taking the time to talk us through it.”
“I really enjoyed the lecture. Professor Chung did an excellent job of introducing and going over all of the buzzwords, as well as going into great detail about what AI is and how it is created. It made the group project a breeze.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed attending the residency course and I am glad that the chosen subject was how AI works! Although I work for a company that utilizes AI both internally, and externally in the form of products and services, I found after attending the residency course that I did not know as much as I thought I did! The most important aspect of the residency course that changed the way I think about AI applications in business was discovered looking at the Zillow case from the lectures. The ability to create home values in an area based on information sourced from other homes, properties, etc. In that same area was fascinating to learn about.
“The residency course was a transformative experience that fundamentally reshaped my perspective on the application of AI in business. It illuminated the pivotal role of AI in driving innovation and streamlining operations across diverse industries. Through hands-on experiences, we gained practical insights into deploying AI in real-world scenarios, from enhancing customer service to conducting marketing analytics and automating tasks.”
“The residency course helped to demystify many of the terms behind AI and explained just how simple AI can be in its most basic applications. The Zestimate feature that Zillow uses is a tool that I use quite often, as I am currently looking to buy a house, so learning how that model works and how regression models can be used within supervised learning models to make accurate quantitative predictions was fascinating. Additionally, the explanation of all AI models within the bounds of math and algorithms translated the concept of AI from something that was foreign to something that I readily understood. This translation changed the way that I thought about AI, and because everything can be translated into algorithms at some base level, my eyes were opened to the extensive possibilities that AI can have in a variety of industries.”
“Rachel Chung offered a rich and ambitious weekend with a significant number of resources. I most benefitted from the simple model video, “Single Neuron Simulator.” By breaking down the process into an Excel, Chung took a concept I was having difficulty understanding and showed this concept in a familiar format. Then, by using the data from the Titanic Story, Chung helped me to understand what Input X features are and how they work. Most importantly, the Single Neuron Simulator provided a visual reference for what is meant by “weight” and how the weights are adjusted. The video then showed the training of the model. Understanding these key points, that the data set is converted to binary numbers, what features are, and most importantly how weight is determined and adjusted provided a string of ah-ha moments for me.”
“The most important aspect of the residency course was that Professor Chung met all students where they are, in introducing them to artificial intelligence. She took the time to create a curriculum that could be shared with anyone. Instead of any students walking away feeling bewildered, I believe that each student was able to process the information and understand each facet of artificial intelligence in a way that would allow them to be ready to build their first models and understand just what the models are doing and understand why and how. Another thing that I liked was that she found examples to illustrate exactly how AI works, but the examples left subject matter simple to understand while being truly impactful. This approach with this curriculum draws all students in and makes them feel that they are a respected part of the class. That is something to be truly appreciated, especially for a person who has no prior experience with AI.”
“The most transformative element of the course was the in-depth exploration of the formulaic building blocks of AI algorithms. Understanding these foundational components shifted my perspective on how AI operates and its applications in business. This exploration demystified the complexities of AI, revealing how algorithms are constructed and function to solve specific problems. Grasping these formulaic building blocks allowed me to appreciate the nuances of AI solutions, from simple automation to sophisticated predictive analytics. This knowledge was crucial for evaluating the suitability of different AI approaches in business scenarios, understanding their limitations, and anticipating future advancements.”
“During our team’s work, I saw personally how AI can be used to tackle specific challenges in the corporate sector. It was a life-changing experience that helped me transition from a theoretical to a more practical understanding of AI and its potential impact on business and society.
“Dr. Chung’s informative lectures provided the most significant understanding of AI topics. She spoke clearly, was engaging, and the presented concepts built well on one another, resulting in a detailed analysis of AI creation, training, and application.”
“The lecture that deconstructed AI’s components and the discussions during the course were invaluable. The lecture provided a foundational understanding of AI’s inner workings, making it less intimidating and more applicable to real-world business scenarios.”
“I actually quite liked the AI for Business Canvas. This was a fantastic light-weight tool. I saw first hand as many of my fellow classmates were able to move from overwhelmed confusion to piercing clarity as this tool lifted them out the weeds.”
Artificial Intelligence
“Excellent at guiding the AI course, going above and beyond to meet with students and encourage creativity.”
“Dr. Chung always went above and beyond to help us understand the topics we were learning.”
“Went out of her way to accommodate schedule constraints and always spent the time to help me understand concepts I was having trouble on.”
“Dr. Chung is a very intelligent individual and was typically available to answer all questions”
“Dr. Chung is a GREAT professor. I am very glad to have had her in this course. I really appreciate her candidness and willingness to provide sincere feedback.”
“Dr. Chung always responded to me in a timely manner when I needed anything.”
“I hope others who follow me after I leave this program get the opportunity to have Dr. Chung as a professor. She is wonderful!”
Machine Learning II
“I want to express my sincere gratitude for all the efforts you have done to us during this semester. From the day one, I have enjoyed every class of yours and used to look forward to going to school everyday. I really appreciate the way you teach us and that really makes these boring formula sound more interesting and easier to understand. I also thank you for encouraging me with your words and smile every time when we go through a hard & busy time. I thank you again for all the wonderful work you have done!”
“… the MSBA made me a much stronger candidate because of my comfort with coding, and everyone in the interviews was really interested in my experience with Optimization and Machine Learning. I came out of the MSBA extremely well prepared for my current Data Scientist job–in particular I use concepts I learned in Professor Chung’s ML course and Professor Bradley’s Heuristic Algorithms every day!”
“I can’t say enough great things about Professor Chung. She was extremely prepared for every class, and clearly communicated her passion for the subject. She also shows kindness and care for the students, adapting teaching methods based on feedback. I really liked that she did not shy away from covering the more mathematical/complicated concepts and explained them very clearly. I think the entire MSBA program should follow the direction of this course.”
“I really enjoyed class with Professor Chung this semester. I wasn’t a big fan of machine learning coming in, but after her class and teaching I feel a lot better about it. It is obvious that she cares about the well-being of her students and really wants to see them learn. Professor Chung was engaging, receptive to questions, and really went above and beyond to help us throughout the course whether it was study guides / code cheat sheets, review sessions, coding sessions, and overall just being readily available to answer any questions we have. It would have been really nice to have her for ML1 and ML2. “
“In-class sessions are very informative and the format is very engaging – starting with a poll and continuing with the structured PowerPoints keep me focused and interested on the material at hand!”
“Professor Chung does an incredible job teaching an extremely complex subject while always going the extra mile to help the students feel like they’ve mastered the material.”
“Professor Chung always goes out of her way to help and care for her students. It’s been a pleasure to learn from someone with such a BIG heart.”
“Her explanation about mathematical theories of ML methods was excellent!”
“Dr. Chung was one of the best professors I have ever had!”
“Professor Chung is awesome at teaching!!! Learned so much this semester!. Assignment workload is appropriate and kept us in check. Much better than just Mid term and final exam.”
“Dr. Chung cares very deeply about her students and it shows in everything she does.”
“Dr. Chung is a great professor! I think the program has gained so much by her joining [the MSBA program].”
“It is evident how caring, and how incredibly knowledgeable Dr. Chung is. She makes a great professor for machine learning and I think an excellent addition to the WM faculty. I had the pleasure of also seeing some of the background procedures she had, and I know she cares for her students and for how she teaches her courses.”
“Best best best teacher! I appreciate Professor Chung’s effort in preparing all the helpful materials for us, and never gives us a hard time, instead, Professor Chung saves everyone’s interest in machine learning as well as our grade. Thankful!”
“Whatever I learned in ML is solely because of you. You have a great way of teaching and especially connecting with students. I can’t thank you enough!”
“BEST BEST BEST BEST BEST INSTRUCTOR IN PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!!”
“One of the best professors I’ve ever had in terms of how quickly and thoroughly she responds to student questions.”
“Such a nice and understanding professor that wants the best for her students. Really enjoyed learning from her all semester.”
MBA Data Analysis
“I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your time and guidance during Session A. It was a true pleasure to have you as our professor. Your teachings and guidance has been invaluable and will undoubtedly benefit me in the long run. I thoroughly enjoyed the Data Analytics course. Looking back, I wish I had taken this course before entering the corporate world; it would have been immensely beneficial and saved a lot of the manual data analysis that I used to do. Thank you once again for your support and mentorship.”
“I am a fan of the interactive data activities where we can visually see the concepts such as putting the post–it notes on the board or seeing the different variables being assessed with candy in the jar. The worksheets are also very helpful in explaining a lot of the material.”
“It was an absolute pleasure being a part of your class and I’m excited to take more Data Analytics classes going forward.”
“Polls, lectures, and chocolate jar examples were my favorite, because Professor Chung is talented at making a topic interesting and realistic, regardless of interest level in the subject.”
“I love the statistics apparel and the P < 0.05 necklace! There’s not only knowledge, but a clear passion.”
“Doctor Chung always has time to answer questions and Doctor Chung also encourages students to use office hours to ask questions.”
“The professor treats us like individuals, not like students. We can talk to her like we would any other person we meet.”
“For a fast–paced course, that in most undergrad programs is usually a full semester (15 weeks) the professor made an outstanding effort in putting the class together.”
“Without having access to the slides, I would not be successful in this course. The slides, and their thoroughness, is outstanding.”
“I would like to thank you for all the great moments we have spent together during session A. It has been super rewarding seeing how our data analysis skills kept getting better and better throughout these 7 weeks, and I can proudly say we all enjoyed the classes, the project, and the outcome we delivered today in class.”
“Thank you for all your patience with the class and turning a course content – that I am sure many dreaded – into a fun class. If most or many did good / great on the final test, that is definitely thanks to you! You have a great sense of humor too!”
“I want to thank you. I really enjoyed learning from you and even interacting with you in the office hours. I never thought statistics could be so much fun, but you really made it a wonderful experience for me.”
“I loved every moment of your class. I will miss this class for a long time now. You are an amazing person an amazing instructor and an amazing guide. Hope to take classes from you soon.”
“I wanted to reach out and let you know how amazing it was to learn from you this semester. I don’t come back from a math background, but all the content was digestible and interactive. This was my first time taking data analytics, and at the beginning, I struggled with simple calculations. Still, because of your teaching methodology, I have learned so much about analytics and real-world data. I wanted to say how grateful I am for the opportunity to learn data analytics. I got into Microsoft during the interview because I could show my analytical skills. So thank you! All the data analytics you taught us helped me do well in the interview.”
“I wanted to thank you for a great Session A in Data Analysis! Though the material was definitely challenging, I really enjoyed using the Zillow data set to work through each new concept. It was a great way to understand the material by practicing with real data. Thank you for your help throughout the Session answering questions and clarifying concepts! I am now looking into the Business Analytics specialization, in part, because of how much I enjoyed your class.“
“I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for everything you did to support me during my time at William & Mary! Coming into this program, I wasn’t sure what impact I was going to make or how I was going to make it but early email conversations with you, office hours, and your class put me more at ease for what was to come. I want to thank you for sharing parts of your story with me and giving me the time and space to hear mine.”
“I received my undergraduate degree in economics and spent a lot of time dealing with these metrics, and never did I receive such a clear and succinct explanation of the relationships between the raw data and these descriptive statistics as you gave us in class on Friday. Thank you!”
“We have our own website, very nice data sets, impressive Excel sheet showing all the behind the scene logic. Amazing content!”
“She is always prepared and makes class interesting by planning various practical activities. I admire her for connecting theory to
real–world scenarios and teaching in a way we can apply them.”
real–world scenarios and teaching in a way we can apply them.”
“The course was very well organized and designed to help students from all backgrounds. Professor started from the basics and slowly moved to advanced topics. Also, as a student who learned statistics before, I found the class very insightful and I learned a lot of new and interesting concepts. The most important takeaway for me was how I can apply statistics to real–world applications.”
“Thanks for teaching us Data Analysis in a very simple manner in such a short time. I definitely feel more interested in the field now. I have a computer science engineering background and I strongly feel this course had shown me new applications to my skills. Looking forward to learning more from you.”
“I really enjoyed your class and learned a lot. I can already see in Session B how the work we did in your class relates to so many parts of business! Again, thank you for the time and effort you put into the class. I always felt like you had the students’ best interest at the front of your mind! “
“I finally felt like I had enough of a foundation to really follow/understand the new material. I’m thankful to have a professor that listens carefully to student needs and works so hard to make sure they are met.”
“It was an entirely different way of approach statistics by using software versus hand calculations – very interesting!”
“This course provided much more insight into statistical models and how to use them to effectively analyze data sets. The real–world application that this course provided was very fascinating and I’m sure it will serve us well throughout the remainder of the MBA program and our careers.”
“I have worked with data before but not having statistics made it very difficult to understand the specifics so now knowing the values and formulas I feel more confident.”
“The class dataset was extremely useful. It allowed us to follow along during class lectures and provided great study material.”
“The class dataset was my favorite part. It was helpful to keep revisiting it each week. It was interesting to see how we built upon the concepts each week using the same dataset.”
“The class dataset a fun way to go about teaching a difficult subject”
Advanced Modeling Techniques
“I wanted to reach out, and extend a belated thanks for your Advanced Modeling Techniques class that I took with you this past semester. While it was primarily in the virtual format, and we did not get to interact much, I am extremely grateful for the tools you gave us in regards to VBA coding. Over the summer, I interned with a small survey research firm outside of DC, and at one point I was able to implement your VBA learning to the field by solving a report problem they had. I was able to automate an excel report that inputted fields with custom summary formulas they were looking for, and duplicate rows to illustrate payment periods from their customers”
“Dr. Chung is a great professor and I’m very grateful to have gotten the chance to learn from her.”
“Professor Chung was an incredible individual, who cared so much for her students. I was very lucky to learn from her.”
“In this class, there were labs/projects every week or two, which forced me to keep up and practice often.”
“Working on the term project individually forced me to debug all problems (and there were many), and it was one of the few times I was tasked with designing a spreadsheet and VBA code from scratch. This is far more useful (but significantly tougher) than writing code on a pre-designed spreadsheet.”
“so accommodating and willing to meet with students in office hours!! truly dedicated to the success of her students”
“So Far this was one of the best learning class I ever had. I had no knowledge on VBA and now I feel that I have enough tools to improve any project”
“I am excited to present our project tomorrow. I turned in Individual Assignment 1 yesterday evening after spending the weekend finishing it. I was having a fair amount of trouble getting the API to pull correctly as well as some other smaller problems, but after meeting with one of my classmates I was able to figure it out. I am thrilled that I was able to get it to work. The power of automation in Excel is remarkable. On another note, I would like to thank you for a wonderful semester. I have learned more than I could ever imagine about coding (Excel VBA in particular) and I am excited to take what I have learned into the business world after college.”
“As this is the approximate halfway point through the semester (and the day of the midterm) I thought I would share a couple thoughts I have throughout the semester (I promise they are all good.)
Going into the course, I initially did not know what to expect. While I was slightly familiar with the fundamentals of coding through the undergraduate business school “block” and my general interest in the subject, I am delighted at how much I have learned. The automation potential of VBA is, for me, by far its most compelling aspect.
I thought the midterm went pretty well, all things considered. I have a terrible habit of trying to be too cute about my code instead of getting the broad brush strokes and then fine tuning. I hate getting things wrong from the outset, but the process of coding is a process of continual failure (and only at the very end do you achieve success.) For an impatient individual like myself, delayed gratification can be challenging.
Thank you for your instruction throughout the first part of this semester. This has been a great learning experience, and the credit goes to you. I hope you have a nice spring break!”
Information Systems and Operations/Analytics
“Dr. Chung is by far one of the best professors I have met at Chatham. As an advisor, she is extremely helpful and primes students for success by sending us opportunities via e-mail on a weekly basis as well as talking with her advisees regularly. As a prof, I had her in BUS171 last spring and it was a joy. The material was very engaging for me.”
“Optimistic, kind, friendly, listen, respect, smart, and funny”
“The assignments were interesting and I really felt that this course will eventually be useful to my career.”
“She’s very knowledgeable and experienced with the subject matter in this course. She’s also very nice and willing to help students in any way she can.”
“The individual assignments were very helpful. They enhanced my understanding of the concepts introduced. “
“The course helped me to learn a lot about Excel and to learn the basics of coding languages”
“Really sincere, engaged, knowledgeable, optimistic, kind, friendly, listen, respect, smart, and funny”
“Was very fair with grading projects and was helpful and responsive when students asked questions. “
“Gave good examples and provided interest outside of class towards Information Systems. “
“Professor provided a wealth of material for the subject, demonstrations and opportunities. She is very compassionate for her class”
“The use of Khan Academy helped me to understand things that I didn’t understand in class. The assignments were difficult but effective”
“The assignments were interesting and I really felt that this course will eventually be useful to my career.”
“The quizzes done almost every time we had class were very helpful.”
“The course provides a good mix of a traditional business class and a technology class, examining the way businesses use modern technology and how to use the technology itself.”
“Very knowledgeable and very good assignments”
“She went over how to do everything in a way where we would understand it.”
“Deep explanation of the course by relating to the world and the daily activities”
“Dr. Chung used many technologies (such as Khan Academy and Tableau Public) to enhance students learning of specific topics such as web coding and data analysis.”
“Good luck at your next school we will miss you!”
Database Management Systems
“Dr. Chung is by far one of the best professors I’ve had during my two years at Chatham. She is extremely kind and professional and puts forth great effort in helping her students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.”
“Providing time to get office hour help with assignments, answered emails in a very timely manner, utilized moodle effectively and kept the class up to date on assignment due dates or changes to assignments”
MBA Information Systems
“Rachel provided engaging material, projects, and lectures through the online course. There was a decent amount of articles to read that fed the weekly discussions. Also, lots of group work. She is very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly.”
“Dr. Chung, I just wanted to thank you for a really great course this semester. I learned a lot of valuable tools that I can apply today in my career. Thank you for all your help with our project!” – Erica
“Rachel, I enjoyed your class. Although it was intense at times, we learned many valuable skills because of it. Thanks for a great semester.” – Michaeleen
MBA Business Analytics (Research)
“Very rigorous, high standards, but supportive and compassionate”
“Dr. Chung is my Research professor for the spring 2013 semester. Our project for this semester is to utilize effective research techniques while competing in the Google Online Marketing Challenge. Dr. Chung’s course has been exceptionally enlightening because, in addition to learning the research, we have been learning up to date online marketing skills that will be valuable as we commence into our management positions. Dr. Chung works very hard to ensure we are provided with the opportunity to learn the course material and to develop our skills as professionals. Dr. Chung is dedicated, challenging, and above all, she is encouraging.””I like having the class lectures in writing to review, along with the reading materials assigned, along with the learning videos. All of this really re-enforces what I am reading and learning. I feel repetition gives you that deeper sense of learning.”
See what students say about participating in the Google Online Marketing Challenge as part of the MBA Research course:
MFF Forensic Research & Analysis
“Your comments, feedback, and guidance are always welcome, you are one of the most comprehensive and supportive Professors that I have ever worked with in all my university years of study!” – Con
“Your course by far was the most challenging class I have ever taken. While difficult it was also rewarding!”
Scholarship and Research (Regarding eyewitness identification research) “I am honored to be attending Carlow University where Professors who are as involved with education and society as the two of you [Dr. Enrique Mu and Dr. Rachel Chung], help to make a difference! Congratulations!” – Jackie Henderson
Advising “Thank you for appreciating my work and being there for me. You are an awesome advisor and such a lovely person to talk and speak my heart out to. You are so supportive and inspirational. I am glad I know you :)” – Manika ”
Dr. Chung was my advisor for the MBA program. She was always the person that I turned to for any help. This program was a challenge for me but she made me feel like she was there with me every step of the way. This is something I really appreciated and feel lucky to have had her in my program.” — Dan Riley
“Dr. Rachel Chung serves as a pillar in my education to this day. From the start of her tenure, Dr. Chung pushed me to take analytical courses, to learn new systems and programs, and to network with the local business community. Her mentorship directly impacted the foundation I was able to build for my own career, and I am so grateful to her. Recently, I was able to sit down with her for lunch where she graciously shared a wealth of advice on how to approach my upcoming MBA work and internships. Her focus on continuous education showed through in our discussion and made me feel energized to continue growing with direction. I feel this quality makes a true mentor, and I feel so lucky to have Dr. Chung as mine.”
—Sam Elbaz ‘15
Tingting (Rachel) Chung 鍾婷婷 