Contrary to popular belief, AIM’s Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ASITE) does not exist to simply produce scientists or technologically inclined professionals. ASITE was established four years ago to train future-ready leaders who can address real-world challenges. Its students and graduates have goals that span beyond honing technical skills, analytical ingenuity, or career advancement. Their late nights poring over case studies and analyzing problems while downing copious amounts of caffeine are fueled by something more than earning a degree. They seek more. They seek impact: the ability to give to others at greater capacities.
Gilbert Chua is the Data Science Solution Lead at Aboitiz Data Innovation. Pursuing a doctorate in Data Science at ASITE was not a mere addition to his growing collection of degrees, which include Physics and Data Science. One look at ASITE’s stellar faculty and their combined academic and industrial expertise solidified his decision. Chua is learning to diversify his skillsets and apply new perspectives to data science, which have shaped how he “can enact ethical and effective data-driven solutions in both the public and private sectors.”
Jefferson Tan was in the trenches of building a startup focused on helping industries with data-driven decision-making when he decided to enroll in the Master of Data Science (MSDS) program at AIM. He and his brother, also his business partner, realized the skills gaps they had in stakeholder management, data readiness, and analyzing metrics. Through the program, Tan built his skills and knowledge across various intersectional areas pertinent to his business.
Josh Mahinay and Masaki Mitsuhashi chose to pursue their degrees in Master in Entrepreneurship (ME) and Master of Science in Innovation and Business (MSIB), respectively. While the two programs differ in their curricula, both share the goal of equipping their students with impactful leadership and management skills. Mahinay and Mitsuhashi’s personal experiences with people and communities set them on the path to ASITE.
Mahinay is a managing partner at Splice Business Solutions, which services social enterprises. The business was going well. Splice’s client portfolio started to expand at a rate exceeding his organization’s capacity. It was a humbling moment to realize that their operations were lacking. “I knew that in order for me to support our growth, and in order to capture the most value from the opportunity, I need to empower myself and my team to be more success-ready and lead my organization to new heights and possibilities,” he said. The ME program was designed specifically to help business owners and entrepreneurs create a solid platform for long-term business growth. Its curricula focus is on developing high-impact organizational leadership skills and practical but innovative approaches to value creation and growth.
Mitsuhashi is an independent consultant who enrolled in the MSIB program in 2020. Working in community development showed him that underserved communities are inherent innovators – but limited resources and barriers to information impeded creative solutions to solve their problems. He matriculated at ASITE to become a conduit for such communities. “I wanted to learn and master the skills, techniques, and tools and be able to bring the knowledge to the communities… that will allow them to become community innovators,” he said. MSIB is a multidisciplinary and integrative graduate degree program that empowers STEAM professionals to manage and design innovations for startups, enterprises, and organizations in various stages of development.
For students like Chua, Mahinay, Mitsuhashi, and Tan, ASITE is a pitstop, not a destination. Their dreams lie beyond the confines of the school. Instead, their dreams border the intersections of helping others reach their potential, actualizing innovative outcomes, and benefiting the greater good. ASITE will continue to train and nurture ambitious students the likes of Chua, Mahinay, Mitsuhashi, and Tan — visionaries who can lead the industries of the future.
If you are interested in learning more about the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, visit https://asite.aim.edu/.
