Data Science is a fast-growing discipline. In addition to the online certificate program and Master of Science degree, a bachelor’s degree will be offered at the University for the first time in the coming school year. Data science students at Truman are equipped with the skills to discover meaning in data. Key courses include computer science, statistics and mathematics, among other fields. As this program area grows it has been important to develop corporate partnerships to provide Truman students with scholarship, internship and hands-on learning opportunities.

In December 2021, Truman alumna Randa Rawlins (’79), retired president and CEO of Shelter Insurance and the Shelter Insurance Foundation, started the Shelter Insurance Data Science Scholarship for rising seniors. The partnership with Shelter also created an internship pathway program for Truman’s undergraduate data science students at the Shelter Insurance corporate office in Columbia, Missouri. The vision and generosity of alumni like Rawlins and corporate partners like Shelter Insurance are helping students graduate with little-to-no student loan debt, while also receiving high-impact workplace experiences and expanding their professional networks.