What Alumni Say

What Applied Communication Research Program Alums Say About the Program

“I never imagined I’d be so passionate about something in my life, and I am finding great success following this path. Studying Applied Communication Research at BU is by far one of the best decisions of my life. Not only did I study with an amazing team of professors and students, but I got to work with real cases, real clients.
“I believe this program has given me all the tools to follow my dream, my passion as a researcher and, most importantly, as a business owner. I have a vision with my company, and my clients have a vision to take their companies to the next level. The sky is the limit!”
Lourdes Fernandez
MS, COM ‘06
President/Market Research Analyst
Visium Research, LLC

“Taking Applied Com Research has given me such a versatile skill set that has enhanced my value in job market in virtually any career field. I learned to clearly identify problems, seek out data to support my decision-making, and make decisions based on that data — all of which is so obvious but, yet, so difficult in practice. Everywhere I go people are impressed by my ability to understand and utilize valuable data.”
Larisa Epshteyn
MS, COM ‘06
Program Manager, Emory Executive Development
Goizueta Business School, Emory University

“My success so far is directly related to two essential parts of the Applied Communication Research program at BU: building confidence as an expert in the research process and adding value by connecting consumer insights to real business issues. This combination is appreciated by hiring managers and clients alike…and it will set you apart from graduates of any other program.”
Christopher Aswad
MS, COM ‘04
Senior Research Manager, PepsiCo Consumer Insights Research International USA

“The knowledge gained from this program has helped me shape my professional goals and has driven the direction my career – in higher education research and consulting – has taken. I’ve also noticed that among students who graduated with me, as professionals we are valued and sought.”
Sara Al Tukhaim
MS, COM ‘07
Analyst
Kantar Retail

“The two years I spent at COM have been the best of my life so far. And being part of the Applied Research program has been the very highlight of this time. Not one day has passed since my immersion in applied research that I haven’t used the knowledge I gained – both in my jobs, and in my daily existence (the normal curve doesn’t apply to research findings only!). Since 2004, I have successfully used the skills I acquired in the program to run large multi-country research studies and influence high-impact business decisions using quantitative and qualitative findings. Thanks to the solid foundation the program provided, not once did I feel unprepared to deal with the research intricacies of these projects. In the process, the companies I worked for, and my clients, frequently expressed their satisfaction with the research skills I brought to the table.”
Michaela Ion
MS, COM ‘04
Senior Research Analyst, Research & Strategy
Sony Electronics