Peter Zwart Jr.

Peter Zwart, Jr. found the perfect way to blend his passion for sports and analytics through Cal Poly’s MSBA program. A Pasadena native, Peter returned to Cal Poly after earning his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration to strengthen his technical skills and apply them in real-world settings.

“I wanted to bolster my technical expertise in data while building on the business skills I developed during undergrad,” Peter explained. “Cal Poly’s industry-focused approach and my positive experiences with the program’s professors made it the ideal choice.”

During the program, Peter’s favorite experience was the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) case competition, where he and his team applied predictive modeling to baseball statistics. “The project combined my favorite sport with analytics, making complex concepts more engaging and memorable,” he shared.

Peter also contributed outside the classroom as a Graduate Assistant for University Housing and was active in intramural sports, the Human Resources and Management Association, and the National Residence Hall Honorary. These roles complemented the hands-on learning he gained through industry projects with companies like NetApp and Oracle. “The real-world data projects provided invaluable industry experience and helped me kickstart my career,” he noted.

Since graduating, Peter has built a remarkable career, starting as a Data Analyst at CipherHealth before moving to Disney as a Senior Asset Protection Analyst, where he developed a comprehensive report spanning Disney’s properties. Currently, Peter works as a Senior Compliance Analyst at BetMGM, blending his passion for sports with data-driven decision-making.

His advice to incoming students? “Find what you’re passionate about and use it as a learning tool. Passion enhances understanding, fosters curiosity, and builds the soft skills needed for analytics success.”

Looking ahead, Peter hopes to transition into a management role, enabling young data analysts to thrive while continuing to solve complex challenges in the analytics realm.

This profile was published in the Winter of 2024.