STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

I have always believed that shaping a great idea into reality requires a wide range of skills and immense
knowledge in both engineering and management. The most successful technology leaders Bill Gates and Steve
Jobs are those with deep expertise in technology and business strategy. Inspired by such great business leaders,
I realized that technology coupled with efficient management is what it takes for an individual to excel in their
life. Since then, I always wanted to develop both technical and managerial skills with a strong business sense.

Our networked world generates extraordinary amounts of data that no manual system can ever process.
In the words of Ginni,Rometty Big Data is the worlds natural resource for the next century and insight into
this data can transform the way business, government, science and healthcare decisions are made. For the past
four years I have been in a field that captures new frontiers of technology, information systemsamong those,
and grew aware of the need to learn tools and technologies to extract knowledge from enormous amount of data
to provide insights that facilitates organizations in taking effective decisions and provides the opportunity to
drive innovation. My goal is to gain expertise in business process analysis and in predictive modeling of data
which will allow me to become a leader in business intelligence. I thus seek to pursue a degree in Data
Analytics which will provide me with the technical foundation needed to do so.

My childhood was memorable. I was non-conforming to say the least. It is incredible how the
environment one grows up in plays a crucial role in ones holistic development. The people around me my
family, my teachers and my friends played a pivotal role in shaping my perception of the world. They gave me
freedom to think outside the box and encouraged me. I was a fervent learner and a vivacious presence in school.
I participated avidly in science experiments, debates and most of all in sports. I was particularly good at Cricket.
Since an early age I played in numerous leagues and tournaments as an opening batsman. Participating in inter
and intra school competitions gave me the ability to work under pressure and endure nerve racking situations
with utmost ease. It also provided me with the opportunity to work in a team improving my collaborative skills.
I did not confine myself to just playing cricket, I delved into other sports too like basketball, football and
badminton.With strong motivation to contribute significantly to society, I graduated high school in the top ten-
percent of my class.

Motivated by my interest in the applied sciences and problem-solving, I took the entrance examination
for admission to the top university for engineering studies in the state, The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological
University (JNTU) in which I secured a decent rank among the aspirants in a highly competitive examination
(EAMCET). It was my hard work and good fortune to secure admission with full fee waiver into Sreenidhi
Institute of Science and Technology, which I am proud to say, is the best among of the few Electronic and
Computer engineering departments in that part of the state. The department offers a one-of-a-kind
interdisciplinary course that encapsulates elements from electronics engineering such as designs of electronic
circuits, microprocessors and microcontrollers among other things, as well as the core topics from computer
science such as programming languages, data management, operating systems etc. Apart from the technical
courses, the program also offered a range of managerial studies such as entrepreneurship, managerial economics
and financial analysis, project management and structured finance etc.

While pursuing a degree in the department, I engaged myself in numerous projects to explore this
multifaceted field. I gave seminars on concepts like Morph Technology, Big Data Analytics Hadoop and
Spark Frameworks and The future of Energy Bio Battery.I went beyond my curriculum and worked on
a varied range of projects like Hospital Management System, Accident Detection and Messaging System
and as my final year project Im working on Best Keyword Cover Search, an algorithm inspired by closest
keyword search. I have also helped organize multiple technical expositions and symposiums at my college.
Apart from enhancing my technical skills I gained inter-personnel skills such as communications skills,
coordination skills and organizational skills while working on these projects and events. The interaction I had
with my friends who were from all parts of the country helped me develop my interpersonal and communication
skills. With my perfect track record I was granted an internship at Smart Bridge, a consulting firm providing
technology, strategy, and implementation services to businesses. Here I learnt and worked on a varied range of
domains including cloud computing, mobile app development, programming etc. The team projects that I
worked also helped me learn more about working collaboratively.

I did not limit myself to academics. With my background in cricket I joined my colleges cricket team. I
became one of the youngest captains of the team. I grew aware of the need to pro-actively plan, schedule and
coordinate team efforts so as to gain maximum participation within the team. We won multiple trophies on
various occasions in the past two years. Continuing my interest of sports I took part in various other sport
tournaments including basketball games, football matches and multiple badminton events.

A masters program in Data Analytics will allow me to bring my experience and skills to full potential
and allow me to learn how to clean, organize, analyze, and interpret unstructured data, deriving knowledge and
communicating the outcomes and information clearly to stakeholders using sophisticated visualization
techniques and other means. Following my masters degree I see myself as a Senior Analyst at a superior IT
consultancy firm where I would not only provide optimal management solutions but also incorporate efficient
and innovative solution practices. I have come to understand that the need for comprehensive and cognitive
improvement of society is not a domestic phenomenon but rather a global movement and hence my decision to
pursue this program at George Mason University took shape. I am pleased and delighted that a program at the
university is providing me with a significant learning experience.

Now that I had an opportunity to be a part of Mason family, the experience I had in writing various
papers and the research work I conducted on my projects helped me in learning how important it is to work
meticulously. I discovered what I enjoy the most which drove me to major in Data Analytics program at George
mason.The Data Analytics at George Mason University perfectly matches my interests and goals. Since the
time I have started this journey, I confidently believe that I have developed personally and academically. One of
the most appealing aspects of the program is the interdisciplinary approach which gives me the flexibility to
choose courses with my professional and personal interest. Additionally, the diverse class profile that comprises
professionals and leaders from various fields will allow me to understand the metrics of those industries and
how they apply to information systems and this cross industrial exposure would enhance my own profile.

In conclusion, a program like this would not just help me hone my technical skills but also gain the
optimal skills required to be an effective leader. As the saying goes It is not just the aptitude but also ones
attitude which determines ones altitude, I am aware that graduate education is not only an exhilarating but
also an arduous path and Im setting out on this path with absolute commitment and a mindset to excel and shall
live up to the high standards set by your university. I am confident that I have the potential and dedication to be
a successful graduate in data analytics. I would like to see myself independent in the next 5-8 years and be a
successful person. Thus, I am looking forward to learn and gain more experience that is going to prepare me to
work in the corporate world.

- Akshay Godugu