Meet the new faculty director of William & Mary’s Online MSBA program, whose unconventional path from biochemical engineering to business analytics is reshaping how we think about data professionals.
“My undergrad is in biochemistry—biochemical engineering, actually—with a concentration in marine resources,” Dr. Guillermo Rodríguez-Abitia recalled of his time at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico. “I really lived the dream in a school that was by the ocean.”
Professor Rodríguez-Abitia never imagined he’d one day be leading one of the U.S.’s premier business analytics programs. Yet his journey from ocean research to data analysis has given him a unique perspective that is now shaping the future of William & Mary’s Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program.
The Power of Saying ‘What Do I Have to Lose?’
Professor Rodríguez-Abitia’s career took an unexpected turn when he began teaching high school chemistry, biology and computing. While in that role, he was offered the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree, with the choice between an MBA or a Master of Science in Information Systems. “As a good engineer, I said ‘No MBA. I don’t want that,’” he laughed. “Little I knew.”
This decision launched a distinguished career spanning technology development, educational innovation and academic leadership across Mexico and the U.S. From directing computer centers in the 1980s to leading innovation centers focused on accessibility and educational technology, Professor Rodríguez-Abitia has consistently embraced new challenges with a simple philosophy: “What do I have to lose?”
That same mindset brought him to William & Mary, where he’s spent the last three years as faculty director of the residential MSBA program before recently transitioning to lead the online program.
The Art of Data Storytelling
What sets Professor Rodríguez-Abitia apart isn’t just his diverse background—it’s his fundamental belief about what makes analytics professionals truly valuable. “I always tell my students we are storytellers,” he explains. “It doesn’t matter that you’re the best model maker and you create all these models that will give you very good insights in terms of what the data is telling you. If you cannot communicate that in plain English, in business language to the business leaders, then your work is useless.”
This philosophy drives the core of William & Mary’s Online MSBA program. Students don’t just learn Python and SQL (though they master both); they learn to bridge the often-intimidating gap between technical analysis and business impact. Professor Rodríguez-Abitia’s foundational course, Computing through Business Analytics, deliberately moves students back and forth between technical skills and business applications, ensuring they understand not just the “how,” but the “why” and “so what” of their analyses.
Breaking Down Barriers, Building Up Confidence
Perhaps most importantly for prospective students, Professor Rodríguez-Abitia’s own journey embodies a core truth about the analytics field: diverse backgrounds aren’t just welcome—they’re essential. “We admit people from any background,” he emphasized. “You can do it as long as you are willing to do the prereqs so that we can get you up to speed.”
He’s particularly impressed by students’ willingness to make bold career pivots: “They do a major in political science with history... and they start to move and they are going to computer science or to data science or to business analytics with absolutely no reservations. Being able to get out of your comfort zone is absolutely a huge quality.”
The program’s prerequisite courses aren’t barriers—they’re bridges to bring students from any academic background into the fold. And Professor Rodríguez-Abitia should know; his own path from marine biology to business analytics proves that technical expertise can be learned by anyone willing to embrace the challenge.
Staying Ahead of the Curve
Professor Rodríguez-Abitia’s background in educational technology gives him a unique perspective on how the field is evolving. Rather than fearing AI tools like ChatGPT, he embraces them while teaching students to understand their limitations and leverage their strengths. “We have to embrace it and we have to know how to use it and how to make the most of it,” he said. “I’d rather teach you how to use it well so that you become more proficient.”
This forward-thinking approach extends to his research in “atomic education”—the idea that modern learners want just-in-time, bite-sized knowledge rather than traditional comprehensive curricula. Understanding these trends helps him prepare students not just for today’s analytics landscape, but for tomorrow’s.
What Sets William & Mary Apart
When Professor Rodríguez-Abitia describes William & Mary’s Online MSBA program, his passion is evident. The program occupies a sweet spot in the analytics education landscape—more technically rigorous than many business-focused programs, but always grounded in real business applications rather than pure data science.
“We are very strong technically speaking,” he noted. “Our students know Python and our students know SQL and how to apply them to build decision-making models. That’s very strongly sought after and you don’t see them that strongly taught in other programs.” But technical skills are just the foundation. “We not only want to know what’s going on and why, but we also want to prescribe solutions. And that’s the difference between data science and business analytics.”
The program’s size allows for personalized attention. Professor Rodríguez-Abitia teaches the foundational course, meaning every online student passes through his classroom. “The level of attention that we provide each one of the students is also a big differentiator,” he explains. “We can still be very human with it.”
Advice for Future Analytics Leaders
For students considering the program, Professor Rodríguez-Abitia’s advice is practical and encouraging. Those from technical backgrounds should focus on developing business acumen, while those from business or liberal arts backgrounds should build technical confidence through resources like Coursera or DataCamp. “Believe me, it’s going to make their lives a lot easier by the time they get to the program.”
Most importantly, he emphasizes that successful analytics professionals need more than technical skills—they need critical thinking, communication abilities and the confidence to work across disciplines. These are exactly the skills his diverse background has taught him to value and develop in others.
Find Your Place in the Future of Business Analytics
In a field increasingly dominated by technical complexity, Professor Rodríguez-Abitia reminds us that the most powerful analytics tool isn’t Python or SQL—it’s the ability to transform data into compelling stories that drive business decisions. And sometimes, the best storytellers are those who’ve lived the most interesting stories themselves.
Ready to begin your own analytics journey? Learn more about William & Mary’s Online MSBA program and discover how your unique background could be your greatest asset in the world of business analytics.
Schedule a call with one of our knowledgeable admissions outreach advisors to get started.