Rolando Ramos is one of the Course Directors for the Business Intelligence master’s program and has over 30 years of experience developing the data-driven marketing side of the business.

“I graduated from the University of Miami with my MBA, with concentrations in marketing, finance, and computer science… My background has been in consulting, banking, marketing, analysis, information engineering, et cetera,” begins Rolando.

Rolando has worked for several notable companies, including Arthur Andersen (now known as Accenture), Barnett Bank, and Banco Popular. Despite his success in the finance and marketing worlds, Rolando believes his calling has always been in academia.

“I had the opportunity to come to Full Sail, which was amazing because I have always been a teacher at heart in every role, in every organization that I've been involved with. I always gravitated toward training and educating others, whether it be customers or employees,” Rolando explains.

He originally came to Full Sail to develop and teach the final project courses for the Music Business and Entertainment Business programs, but was asked to help launch the Business Intelligence master’s program eight years ago. Since then, Rolando has dedicated his time and energy to teaching graduate students the ins and outs of business intelligence.

The program walks students through the process of developing a “full data-driven solution plan” for a company of their choosing, with the final solution being their capstone thesis.

“We have [students] take a look at the individual ‘client’ and research how that organization is doing and how they are doing specifically when it comes to responding to those forces that may be impacting this industry… Maybe there's increased competition or technology has changed.”

Rolando’s career experience comes into play often when helping students find a way to develop their solutions. “[I bring] well-researched and proven techniques for them to solve their problems, to grow their businesses, operate more effectively, and reach customers better.”

Additionally, because Business Intelligence is a master’s program, students are provided customized guidance on what they need to succeed in the real world.

“I have been the marketing VP in different organizations, [so] I know what the expectations are from the employer side, and I ensure that in every bit of feedback that I provide to my students, I give them actionable [feedback].”

Some of this feedback includes helping students identify the gaps in their experience and what else they need to do or learn to become ideal candidates for their dream positions. This could include getting extra certifications, making more connections, conducting more market research, or clarifying each student’s long-term career goals.

“We also take them through a critical review of their LinkedIn profile,” Rolando adds.

Having taught at Full Sail for over 15 years, Rolando still sincerely enjoys his workplace and the academic atmosphere it fosters: “Full Sail has resonated with me from the very start.”