International graduate utilizes real-world business experience gained at Daniels to earn promotion
Zoe Chen (MSBA 2023) credits the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business with preparing her for new career opportunities in accounting.
Case in point: her recent promotion to senior accountant at Dish Wireless. Chen’s new role is the latest step in a journey that began with her 2015 move from China. After settling in Colorado, she earned dual undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance from Colorado State University and worked in auditing. From there, she enrolled in the Master of Science in Business Analytics program, finding at Daniels a tight-knit community and a place to build new skillsets that set her apart.
Zoe Chen
“As an international student, the experience was incredible. The program brings together students from diverse countries and backgrounds, all working together on projects and sharing our lives,” she said. “My MSBA supports me in my current role by equipping me with practical business analytics skills I apply daily.”
Chen chose Daniels in part because of the real-world experiences it offers students. She participated in the Inclusive Excellence Case Competition sponsored by Deloitte, where she presented a case on diversity, equity and inclusion, earning a silver medal. Additionally, she developed innovative solutions for a Denver-based nongovernmental organization as part of her capstone project.
“I conducted data analysis to understand the NGO’s current database and developed an optimal pricing model tailored to their needs. These experiences provided concrete examples that I highlighted during my Dish job interview,” she said.
Outside the classroom, Chen had two roles that rounded out her collegiate experience. She worked as a student ambassador for the Office of Graduate Admissions and as a graduate research assistant in the College’s finance department.
“As a student ambassador, I made new friends and shared my experiences with them while giving back to the community. As a research assistant, I worked with two professors analyzing environmental, social and governance ratings and their impact on companies’ business decisions. This opportunity allowed me to engage in research on meaningful, real-world topics,” Chen said.
Phil Beaver, professor of the practice and director of Business Information and Analytics program, taught several of Chen’s courses and advised her capstone project.
“Phil was there to guide me through the thinking process. In our discussions, he wouldn’t just tell the answer, but he’d lead me to discover it for myself,” she said.
Phil Beaver
Beaver said Chen was an independent, self-sufficient, driven and bright student. From day one, she jumped right in, and he saw Chen grow throughout the program.
“The capstone project was to build a pricing model for the Center for Improving Value in Health Care. A lot of data didn’t exist, so she dug through the limited data available and came up with a tiered model. With her degree, she’s gone from a focused accounting finance background to a broad analytics and finance background—and those complement each other. With finance, you understand how the money moves in an organization; with analytics, you can do something with it. She’s clearly doing both right now,” he said.
Chen is applying her analytical skills as part of a Dish Wireless team working on a complex new revenue software system.
“Exciting changes are coming with the launch of our revenue recognition project. We’re ensuring seamless data integration with intelligent automation to analyze subscriber-level data and better serve customers. This initiative sets a groundbreaking standard for innovation in the wireless industry,” she said.
Beaver holds high expectations for Chen’s future.
“Whether it’s understanding material, looking for a job or doing her job, she’s a go-getter, and she’s going to succeed at whatever she does,” he said.