SHU Launches New Center for Analytics

Sacred Heart’s new Center for Analytics unites graduate programs in business and health care to drive research, real-world learning and community impact

Key Highlights

• ^{Sacred Heart University launched the Center for Analytics, a cross-disciplinary hub combining the Master of Science in business analytics & applied AI and the Master of Science in healthcare informatics programs}
• ^{Designed as a collaborative hub for research, innovation and applied data analysis, connecting the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the College of Health Professions}
• ^{Unites students, faculty and industry partners in solving real-world challenges through data-driven insights and analytics-based solutions}

Sacred Heart University has announced the launch of its new Center for Analytics, an innovative initiative that merges the University’s master of science in business analytics & applied AI and master of science in healthcare informatics programs.

The center will serve as a collaborative hub for research, innovation and hands-on data analysis, bringing together expertise from the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the College of Health Professions.  The center will host a symposium later this month showcasing impressive student capstone projects.

With hundreds of highly engaged graduate students and expert faculty, SHU continues to expand its leadership in data-driven education. The center’s mission is to connect students, faculty and industry partners to solve practical challenges through analytics, creating a meaningful impact in both the business and health care sectors.

“Students are gaining real-world experience by working directly with data from nonprofits, health care centers and community organizations,” said Stephen Burrows, director of healthcare informatics and co-director of the center. “From these projects, we are able to showcase our students’ abilities and their readiness to apply what they learn in real-world settings.”

Through strategic partnerships and applied research, the center aims to:

• Empower organizations with data-informed solutions to current challenges.
• Promote digital equity and innovation through quantitative research.
• Enhance experiential learning opportunities, internships and career pathways for students.
• Foster collaboration between faculty and industry leaders through research and consultancy work.
• Offer professional development opportunities, including workshops, certifications and conferences.

“We are empowering students and the community with data-driven decision-making and innovation,” said Sonal Vats, program director for business analytics & applied AI and co-director of the center.

On November 25, the center will host a symposium and networking event featuring a panel discussion on “How Analytics Is Used Across Industries: From Health Care to Finance" which will highlight the power of data-driven decision-making in today’s business world. Following the panel, graduate students from the healthcare informatics and business analytics & AI programs will present their capstone projects, demonstrating the depth of their skills and the kinds of real-world projects the Center for Analytics is equipped to tackle. Representatives from local businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to attend and explore opportunities to collaborate with SHU’s talented analytics community.

By integrating business analytics and healthcare informatics under one center, Sacred Heart is ensuring that students are not only learning in the classroom but also making a measurable difference in their communities.

Visit the Center for Analytics webpage to find out how to get involved.