First MS-ADS Conference Brings Alumni Together

The first-ever UChicago Spark conference brought a new kind of gathering to the MS in Applied Data Science (MS-ADS) alumni community, one focused on celebrating alumni achievements, exchanging ideas, and building momentum for the future.

Held in Chicago at the Gleacher Center on May 16th, the event combined panels, talks, and networking to highlight how MS-ADS graduates are leading in data science, tech, research, entrepreneurship, and beyond.

Organized by members of the MS-ADS Alumni Committee, including Eniona Bayowa, MS’19; Elijah Ampo, MS’20; Dylan Smith, MS’21; and Kshitij Mittal, MS’23, the conference was designed to deepen connections and spotlight the impact alumni are making across industries.

As a graduate of a pandemic-era program, Smith emphasized the need for community after years of virtual learning. “We created Spark to restore that lost sense of connection,” he said. “Giving alumni a space to elevate each other and to listen, talk, and better understand what we’re all working on.” He added, “We hoped people would walk away with ideas and inspiration to make changes in their own lives.”

That sense of shared energy defined the day.

“The moment that stood out to me most was seeing how engaged the crowd was throughout the entire day,” said Bayowa, who helped organize the event. “It showed just how much the community values connection and the content we curated.”

The event also provided a platform to showcase alumni success and inspire the next wave of data professionals. “We have alumni working in leading tech companies like Amazon and Google. Alumni who built their own companies or lead entire organizations,” said Ampo. “However, we didn’t have a platform for them to showcase their work. Spark was that platform.”

The presenters didn’t just bring insights; they sparked action. Priya Suvvaru, MS’23, one of the alumni speakers, reflected: “Speaking at the Spark event was an honor and a great experience. It was inspiring to see how peers are driving change across industries. Sharing my work also sparked valuable conversations with some of our professors and peers, giving me a lot of ideas. I’m already looking forward to the next one.”

Behind the scenes, the goal was always bigger than a one-day event. Spark was built to become a tradition.

“We started this journey with a recurring conference in mind,” said Smith. The vision includes multiple tracks—technical, product-focused, and career-oriented, to allow attendees to tailor their experience. “The energy and powerful messages from the speakers only reinforced my confidence that there’s enough alumni interest to grow Spark, both in attendance and in speaking sessions.”

And it wasn’t just about the established leaders. For many, Spark represented a turning point for younger alumni and students on the edge of their careers. “Staying engaged and connected will allow us to learn from each other and solve the latest challenges in AI,” said Ampo. “For early- and mid-career alumni, this is a great way to learn from established alumni and how they’re navigating leadership.”

Mittal echoed that sentiment. “Many of us graduating from the program often find ourselves in technically demanding roles, where it’s easy to become immersed solely in the technical aspects of our work. Yet, it’s through these human interactions that we gain some of the most valuable life lessons.”

Spark marked the beginning of something bigger. The momentum from this event is only the beginning as alumni take the lead in shaping what comes next. As Bayowa put it: “A program is only as strong as its alumni network.”