Alumni Spotlight: Jean-Paul Cruz-Walker, Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment (MESA)

Jean-Paul Cruz-Walker, a 2022 MESA alum, reflects on how he began his degree and how it led him to his current position as an Institutional Research and Educational Assessment Analyst at Midwestern University.

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Education in MESA?

I actually didn’t know that I was interested in MESA until my junior year of undergrad. I took a test in measurement, and it opened a new world of psychology for me. I hadn’t realized MESA included psych; I thought it was mostly about applied clinical knowledge. That’s what sparked my interest and I started exploring the program on my own. I started in the certificate program to test the waters and it was a great match, so I decided to start the master’s program.

Can you talk a little bit about the coursework overall, and how you’ve benefitted from the teachings in your career?

A few of the beginning classes, such as intro into statistics and research methods, were review for me because of my previous graduate degree, but it was good to get a little more in-depth review of those introductory classes. The exposure to the higher-up classes, like Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), was great. I really appreciated getting more exposure to the advanced statistical techniques. My boss graduated from the UIC MESA certificate program as a supplement to her master’s in applied mathematics, so she was confident in my skills from her experience with the quality of professors.

Is there any advice you would provide to someone starting the MESA program?

I would recommend taking advantage of the flexibility of the program. I started in the summertime and took one class just to see if I had it in me to come back to school after seven years off, plus I was working full time. So, I recommend choosing one course in the beginning to really take advantage of the flexibility of the online program. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice especially on course progression and career planning. Anyone I’ve ever reached out to at UIC has been very helpful.

UIC’s online Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment (MESA) prepares professionals to succeed and advance in their career. MESA online quantitative research graduates are in high demand. Receiving this nationally ranked graduate degree, students are ready to succeed in a variety of research settings and environments. Choose from two online programs, a Master of Education Degree or a Graduate Certificate, and begin your journey today.