Student Spotlight: Adewale Tokosi

Adewale Tokosi understands the information overload that so many experience when looking to upskill, particularly in data science. “I had all the time and resources but needed a curated program that could welcome a novice.” When he turned to his network of friends and mentors for insight, one suggestion came up over and over — WQU’s Applied Data Science Lab.

Adewale sought to develop data science skills after working as a digital marketing freelancer. In his marketing campaigns, he came to notice trends in performance based on the different creatives and copy that he used, which sent him down “the rabbit hole of optimization.” “This experience revealed to me the intrinsic vitality of data as a tool for business growth and expansion,” said Adewale.

Upon starting the Lab, Adewale was immediately impressed by the realistic course projects. “I’ve had my fair share of online courses, but WQU takes the lead when it comes to the project quality and the teaching. I liked the fact that the courses were thoughtfully put together to model real life subjects,” said Adewale. He found WQU’s Applied Data Science Lab rigorous and challenging, particularly the assessments at the end of each module. Fortunately, Adewale worked well with the Lab instructor, Nicholas Cifuentes-Goodbody, who he said was able to “seamlessly break down obfuscating concepts” while also sharing “amusing optimism” with his students. “Nicholas has been one of the best teachers I’ve had the honor to listen to.”

Adewale credits his upbringing with the grit and resilience that helped him succeed. “Data science and analytics goes beyond the codes and dashboards, and reaches deep into reasoning and logic. It is a very flexible and stakeholder-centric career that requires constant critical thinking, as well as a devotion to the overall objective. Such a space will require lots of learning, unlearning and relearning, all of which my background and unique experiences, along with the Applied Data Science Lab, have prepared me for.”

Currently enrolled in a Master's program for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Adewale is focused on using all of the skills and knowledge gained during the Lab to accelerate the start of his data science career.

“I know I will be recruited into the data industry here in the United Kingdom. I’m preparing myself for a beautiful career accordingly.”

To learn more about WorldQuant University’s Applied Data Science Lab offering, visit the offering page.