'18 GRADUATE TURNS PASSION FOR TECHNOLOGY INTO DYNAMIC ROLE AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES A proud TAMIU graduate has turned his passion for artificial intelligence, analytics, app development, and coding into a dynamic professional role as a Pilot Analysis Consultant for Southwest Airlines, a leading Fortune 500 Airline. In his position, Zuhaib Ali Raja, an MS in Information Science graduate,'18, focuses on enhancing crew business processes and improving efficiencies in pilot scheduling through data-driven techniques. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines, Raja worked as a Data Analyst at C Spire, a prominent telecommunications company, and at Hope Credit Union. Born in the United Arab Emirates and raised in Pakistan, Raja began his academic pursuit at Delta State University in Mississippi, earning an MBA in MIS. This foundation paved the path for continued studies at TAMIU, where faculty support exposed him to real-world challenges in his field. He thanked remarkable TAMIU professors, including the late Dr. Siddharth Shankar, his older brother, Dr. Zubair Ali Raja, also a TAMIU graduate, Dr. Haibo Wang, and Dr. Geoffrey Hubona for investing their time and resources in his development and success. Raja has words of wisdom for current students and fellow TAMIU alumni. TAMIU ALUMNI "While at TAMIU, connect with people from around the world, prepare yourself with essential skills, and create lasting memories," he said. ‘23 ALUM BEGINS GRADUATE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA TAMIU alum Nereyda Molina began her master’s degree in Biostatistics at the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health this Fall 2024. Of the ten graduate programs Molina applied to, she was accepted into nine, including programs in Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas, and more. She credits her success to the support she experienced throughout her tenure as a TAMIU student. "As a biology major, undergraduate research opportunities opened my eyes to significant chronic illnesses/diseases affecting the Hispanic community, such as colorectal cancer research I have done with Dr. Amanda Muñoz, TAMIU assistant professor of biology and chemistry," Molina explained. She became an undergraduate research assistant under Dr. John Kilburn, professor of Sociology. Through this endeavor, she worked specifically on the Gaining Equity in Training Public Health Informatics and Technology Program and the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects. Molina hopes to continue to a career as a biostatistician. Zuhaib Ali Raja Nereyda Molina 33
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