Capella University Students Win First Place at Analytics Competition

Capella graduate students win local analytics event exploring
Minnesota water quality and its impact on the community.

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#analytics–Capella University students Murali Sastry and Jared Mehlhaff were
awarded first place in the MinneMUDAC: Dive into Water Data
analytics competition this past weekend in Eden Prairie, Minn. Sastry
and Mehlhaff are currently enrolled in Capella’s Master
of Science in Analytics degree program.

Sastry and Mehlhaff competed against 28 other teams in this experiential
learning competition. Teams were tasked with providing a creative and
innovative analysis of the relationship between various property
characteristics and the water quality of lakes within the seven county
Twin Cities region.

In the competition, Sastry and Mehlhaff were able to use knowledge and
skills the MS Analytics program provides, specifically experience with
SAS tools. “I wanted to pursue the MS Analytics program at Capella
because it catered to my specific needs – flexible online program, good
rankings, and had SAS as its vehicle to achieve coursework practice
objectives,” said Sastry about his Capella education.

Mehlhaff adds, “The Capella MS in Analytics program helped us cover all
aspects of the MinneMUDAC project — from data understanding, to
modeling, and then lastly, preparing a presentation. The knowledge and
experience gained from doing real-world problems at Capella was critical
to our success.”

In addition to receiving exposure to industry recruiters and business
leaders, and access to professional development opportunities, Sastry
and Mehlhaff each received just over $500 for their participation and
first-place win.

“Our learners were able to showcase their abilities as analytics
professionals and leaders, and we are very proud of their success,” said
Rhonda Capron, EdD, dean of the School of Business and Technology. “And
I especially want to recognize the Capella faculty who provided support
and guidance throughout this competition and in their learning.”

Capella University teamed with analytics leader SAS to launch the Master
of Science in Analytics in October, 2015. The program is designed to
prepare data analytics professionals to work with, understand, and
transform data to develop solutions that resolve applied problems, while
effectively providing insights and communicating results to the
organization.

“We’re excited to see students wielding SAS to explore serious issues
facing our society, such as water quality,” said Emily Baranello, vice
president, SAS Education Practice. “SAS experience with real-world data
paves the way to many rewarding career opportunities.”

About Capella University

Capella University (www.capella.edu)
is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1993, the
university is dedicated to providing flexible, professionally aligned
online degree programs designed to help working adults advance in their
careers. As of September 30, 2016, more than 37,500 students were
enrolled in Capella’s bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and certificate
programs. Known for its commitment to learner success, academic quality
and innovations in online education, Capella pioneered competency-based
direct assessment programs allowing students to learn at their own pace.
Capella University is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capella Education
Company (NASDAQ: CPLA). For more information, call 1.888.CAPELLA
(888.227.3552).

Contacts

Capella University
Alicia Amling, 612-977-4836
alicia.amling@capella.edu