Jessi Jaramillo’s career has taken more turns than the average mountain bike trail, a fitting metaphor for someone who tackles both challenges with the same determination and quick learning. Originally from Brooklyn, Jessi moved upstate as a teenager and studied political science at SUNY Binghamton. She minored in Latin American studies, drawn by an interest in her heritage, her two homelands (US and Colombia), their history and social issues. But like many students, she discovered that career paths rarely follow a neat plan.
After graduation, Jessi jumped into nonprofit work and local economic development in Chenango County, where an unexpected role as a finance director first introduced her to data analysis. “That’s really where I learned the power of working with numbers,” she explains.
From there, Jessi transitioned into marketing roles across multiple industries, including the startup Open English, an online English learning platform popular in Brazil and beyond. Later, she moved to Silicon Valley, landing positions at Chegg and eBay.
While she enjoyed the fast-paced environment, it was her collaboration with data science and engineering teams that left the biggest impression. “I was fascinated by how they built audiences and tested hypotheses. I wanted to do more than just use the data—I wanted to understand how to create and analyze it myself.”
When many tech companies were restructuring in 2023, Jessi decided it was the perfect moment to pivot. She researched graduate programs that would provide a solid grounding in statistical methods, design of experiments, and practical data science skills. SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Data Science and Analytics (DSA) program offered exactly what she was looking for, with the added benefit of being back in Central New York.
Now, as a graduate student, Jessi has thrown herself into projects that put her new skills to the test. She started as a research assistant at SUNY Poly’s AI Exploration Center, supporting the center’s development during its early phases. She currently works with the university’s Center for Healthcare Innovation and Humanitarian Engineering, organizing and analyzing real-world healthcare data sets, including one focused on cognitive decline and dementia research.
While Jessi admits her background in political science didn’t include much math, she values how the DSA program breaks down complex topics. “I really appreciate how our courses focus on the basics like statistical inference and experimental design. Without that, you can’t build reliable models or interpret results accurately.”
Outside of classes and research, Jessi finds balance, and adrenaline, on her mountain bike. She picked up the sport while living in California and is proud of her ability to “get spicy on a bike,” attacking climbs and chasing flow, complete with a few scars and concussions to prove it. “It taught me to stay focused and adaptable, qualities that help just as much in data science.”
Jessi credits her DSA professors, like Dr. Bill Thistleton and Dr. Daniel Romero, for making the transition into a technical field smoother than expected. Their support and the program’s hybrid flexibility have allowed her to keep pursuing hands-on research while planning for industry internships.
For anyone thinking of switching gears mid-career, Jessi’s advice is straightforward: “Don’t overthink it. If you’re curious, learn the fundamentals, ask questions, and build from there. It’s not about starting over, it’s about adding a new skill set to what you already know.”