Wesley Cannatti is the fall 2024 Spears School of Business orange gown graduate.

Cannatti distinguished as Spears Business orange gown graduate

Friday, December 6, 2024

Media Contact: Hallie Hart | Communications Coordinator | 405-744-1050 | hallie.hart@okstate.edu

Wesley Cannatti, a data analytics and management major with concentrations in consulting and sports, is the fall 2024 Spears School of Business orange gown recipient.

Cannatti will wear the orange gown at the Dec. 14 undergraduate commencement, where he will be the first business student to receive his diploma. Each semester, a business student is chosen to wear this distinguished regalia in recognition of their academic achievements, participation in organizations and overall dedication to their experiences at Oklahoma State University.

In the spring, Cannatti will continue his education in the Spears Business master’s in business analytics and data science (MS BAnDS) program. Beginning in May 2025, he will start a full-time position at InterWorks after interning there for the past three years. He expects to obtain his master’s degree in May 2026.

What made you choose OSU after growing up in Lake Highlands, Texas?

I just fell in love with the red brick on campus, the community environment of the town and how everyone bleeds orange to support the school, which is really special. When I initially looked at OSU, I was interested in sports management and management information systems (MIS). It was one of only three schools in the country that had both majors, at least when I was looking. After visiting, I ended up falling in love with the school and only applied here. Basically, my junior year of high school, I knew I was coming here.

Were there any classes or professors that influenced your decision to major in management and data analytics?

Early on, I really liked the data classes. One of the first classes was with professor Evan Davis; it was Business Analytics Fundamentals the fall of my freshman year. I just really liked the class, and so I went to office hours a lot just to ask questions and ended up being a teaching assistant (TA) for it my freshman year spring. It was an intro track into the field and piqued my interest early on.

Wesley Cannatti poses with a Business Pete cutout on the first day of his senior year. — From the first day of school until graduation, Wesley Cannatti thrives as an active student in the Spears School of Business.

Wesley Cannatti wears his orange cap and looks out a Business Building window. The photo captures his reflective mood as he prepares to graduate. — From the first day of school until graduation, Wesley Cannatti thrives as an active student in the Spears School of Business.

How did your internship at InterWorks prepare you for your future career?

When I was an undergraduate TA my freshman year, one of the graduate TAs had previously been at InterWorks and encouraged me to apply. After landing the internship that summer, I have stayed through the rest of my collegiate years. I think we're really lucky to have a data analytics consultancy right down the road here in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It was a great opportunity, and then it helped me realize that was exactly what I wanted to do in my professional career. Some skills I have gained through my time at InterWorks include the ability to create and communicate data-driven insights, collaborate with different types of stakeholders and learn new things to stay up-to-date in an evolving tech industry.

What OSU experience or leadership opportunity was most influential to you?

One major event each year is Datathon, which is basically a two-day analytics case competition. I competed in the competition the first year as a freshman, and then over the last few years, I've gotten to help plan and prepare the annual competition and see it grow. This spring we had over 80 students and about 35 industry professionals. For me, this was exciting to see other students be exposed to the field that I've been able to work in for a few years. This was a great opportunity to develop my own leadership and planning skills, as well as to see others grow.

What campus resources were most helpful to you?

Professor relationships. That ties back to office hours, in a sense. I mentioned Evan Davis as one of the first professors I connected with freshman year, and his connection helped lead into InterWorks, so that professor connection went a long way. And then professor Kim Strom, who is the assistant department head of MSIS. She and I became really close over the years, especially through the Data Analytics Club — she's one of our faculty sponsors. Just being able to lean on professor connections is really helpful.

What advice would you give future business students?

Early on, one thing that really struck home with me is the first point of the Cowboy Code: End the day knowing you gave everything you had. Combine that with the (Spears motto of the) Power of Personal. I think there's so many opportunities here at OSU. Take every opportunity to join a club, join Greek Life, join other student organizations and just get plugged in. Build good relationships with your professors. At the end of the day, it's really the people here that make OSU so special, so don't be afraid to expose yourself to new things and see where you end up.

Story By: Emma Childress | emma.childress@okstate.edu