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Turning a Love of Data into a Career in Literacy and Learning
Sarah Hawthorne
Education
M.S. in Data Science 2027, University of Virginia
B.A. in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies 2009, University of Virginia
Hometown
Lee County, Virginia
Sarah Hawthorne’s path to data science began at the University of Virginia, where she earned her B.A. in 2009 and first discovered a love of working with data as an undergraduate research assistant.
Today, Hawthorne serves as a Data Specialist with Virginia Literacy Partners in UVA’s School of Education and Human Development while pursuing her M.S. in Data Science. After four years in the role, applying data skills every day has confirmed that data science isn’t just her job, it’s her calling.
Learn more as Hawthorne shares her journey into data science, what she’s gaining from the M.S. in Data Science program, and where she hopes her degree will take her next.
Tell us about your path to data science.
My path to data science started when I was an undergraduate research assistant to the late Professor J. McGrath Cohoon. While working with Professor Cohoon, I learned how to take raw data and answer real-world questions. My time working with Professor Cohoon impacted the rest of my life; every job that I took thereafter, no matter if it was working for the local health department, a local non-profit, or the local government, I ended up working with data because of how much I enjoyed the challenge.
It was during this time that I realized that not everyone enjoys wrangling data, and my co-workers were happy to have someone on the team to handle this type of work. Throughout the years, when I looked at the aspects of the jobs that I had held that I truly enjoyed, I realized I was happiest when I was working with data.
I then became a data specialist at the University of Virginia's School for Education and Human Development at the Virginia Literacy Partners (VLP) office. This is the job that I have enjoyed the most because I get the opportunity to wrangle data every day. Working as a data specialist for the past four years has confirmed my belief that Data Science is the field that best suits me and my temperament.
What do you hope to do with a master’s in data science?
To me, the greatest thing about getting an M.S. in Data Science is that you get to do research as your job without having to get a Ph.D. I believe that the tools I will gain in the master's program will allow me to explore the world using data. The issues that interest me right now run the gamut from exploring the 'black box' problem of neural networks to autonomous vehicles.
What has surprised you about the MSDS program so far?
The support of the staff and faculty, and their willingness to work with you as a student.
Also, how applicable what I am learning is to my job. I am fortunate enough to have a job as a data specialist, where in the first semester of the program, I can apply what I am learning from class. This makes what I am learning in the classroom so much more tangible and real.
What class do you look forward to taking?
Applied Reinforcement Learning
What advice would you give to someone considering a master’s in data science?
Know yourself; figure out what you love about your current job (or jobs you have held in the past) and see if it aligns with being a Data Scientist. If you can, get a job in the field to see if this would be something that you enjoy doing every day before committing to a Master's degree program.
What are some fun facts about yourself?
I am an artist, a DIY-er (for example, I converted my single rod closet to a double rod closet), an avid reader of Science Fiction/Fantasy books, and a lover of role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.
Learn more about the part-time, 100% online M.S. in Data Science at the University of Virginia. Request more information, connect with Admissions, or start your application today.
