School of Information alumna Kaye Grandstaff (MSIT ’21) started a new position as a Business & Integration Architecture Specialist at Accenture this past December. Kaye spoke with us about her experience in the Master’s in Information Technology program and how it helped prepare her for this new role.
A Tallahassee local, Kaye was drawn to the MSIT program for its flexibility and its course content, which closely aligned with her professional goals. “At the time I started, I was working full-time 
at FSU as a Business Analyst and part-time at Publix as a Deli Associate,” said Kaye. “Classes were available on weekday nights, so this allowed me to pursue a master’s degree part-time while attending to my other obligations.” The program also allowed her to develop skills in areas such as business intelligence, data communications, information architecture, usability analysis, and project management. “I found ways to actively apply these skills and concepts into my day-to-day work responsibilities, which in turn have allowed me to deliver the best service to my internal and my external customers.”
Currently, Kaye is preparing to lead her first project at Accenture, a Fortune Global 500 company. Though she could not provide specifics about her current role, she had plenty to share about how her master’s program prepared her for the transition. “The classes encouraged students to collaborate and work together to solve problems – I find those experiences have translated into this role well; Accenture encourages employees to connect with other employees who are experts in their field. I feel that is essential to succeeding in your career.”
Kaye’s advice to current students is to engage with fellow classmates. “If you have skills or resources that would be helpful to other students, share them!” said Kaye. “I believe in setting people up for success. You never know in the future if your classmate becomes your future co-worker or your future boss.”
On a personal note, Kaye is a mother of two, and has been married to her husband, Rick, for 13 years. She immigrated from the Philippines to the United States in 2009, and obtained her U.S. citizenship in 2018. She also recently celebrated her 50th birthday!
To learn more about the MSIT program, click here.