Spears School of Business and InterWorks partner to create Spears Assist
Monday, September 19, 2022
Media Contact: Bailey Stacy | Communications Coordinator, Marketing & Communications | 405-744-2700 | bailey.stacy@okstate.edu
Spears Assist powered by InterWorks is now offering support and tutoring to Oklahoma State University students enrolled in the three core analytics courses taken by all business students.
A generous $200,000 donation from InterWorks, a global IT and data consultancy business founded in 1996 by two-time business school graduate Behfar Jahanshahi, is making it possible for Spears School of Business students to receive academic support to pursue careers in analytics.
“Spears Assist is modelled directly off Assist by InterWorks, which is our analytics support arm trusted by some of the world’s leading brands,” said Dustin Wyers, Assist lead for InterWorks. “Those in the Spears Assist program will use a similar system and learn the same skills that our consultants utilize directly with clients. Learning how to deal with a wide array of challenges and personalities is crucial to being a good consultant, and that’s exactly what this program will provide.”
Spears Business has long been a leader in analytics education and continues to enhance the experience for students through implementing increased data analytics and visualization coursework for all business majors, and also encouraging the inclusion of data analytics in courses across disciplines. The collaboration between Spears Business and InterWorks further solidifies the school’s commitment to creating the next generation of data analytically savvy students.
“I am excited about our ongoing partnership with InterWorks, and the work we are doing to advance the data analytics skills of our students,” said Dr. Evan Davis, associate professor of professional practice, Department of Business Administration. “This program will not only benefit those selected as Spears Assist interns but serve as a resource for all the students within the Spears School of Business.”
Spears Assist utilizes undergraduate students as interns to support others in their analytics coursework. These interns are selected based upon their own performance in analytics courses, and as part of the experience will also receive extensive training and be involved with projects at InterWorks. The Spears Assist Faculty Fellows — Evan Davis and Kim Strom, assistant department head for the Management Science and Information Systems (MSIS) Department — will manage the interns and design their training opportunities.
“Spears Assist makes sense on a lot of levels for both OSU and InterWorks,” said Jahanshahi, who was one of the inaugural inductees into the MSIS Department’s Cloud of Honor, established to recognize and honor graduates from OSU’s MSIS and analytics programs. “In Stillwater, you have a university that brings in around 25,000 students each year who are excited, energetic and ready to learn. These students are looking for opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in a real-world context. Spears Assist gives OSU students a great outlet to prepare for a career in analytics, and it gives InterWorks an even stronger pipeline to the next generation of talented data professionals.”
Jahanshahi earned his bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) in 1998 and a master’s degree in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) in 2000 from OSU. He founded InterWorks during his time as an OSU student. Today, InterWorks employs over 250 individuals across the globe, including 75-plus OSU alumni. They serve hundreds of clients across virtually every industry, ranging from Twitter and Nike to OSU and Stillwater Medical Center.
In-person assistance is available in Business Building 205, Monday-Thursday, 1-5 p.m., and virtual assistance through Office365 TEAMS is offered Monday-Thursday, 6-10 p.m., and Sunday, 1-9 p.m.
Visit the website for more information or to request assistance, https://business.okstate.edu/departments_programs/msis/spears_assist.html.