Houghton University’s Data Science students had the opportunity to hear from an Major League Baseball Director of Amateur Scouting Operations for the Texas Rangers, Adam Lewkowicz. Lewkowicz talk was part of a series of PRO Talks that Houghton’s Center for Data Science Analytics hosts featuring leading professionals from the front offices of various leagues in the sports industry. Speakers discuss their career journey, give real-world examples of how data is used for decision making, and give advice to students seeking jobs in this industry. 

Lewkowicz was the first speaker from the MLB and spoke about how various kinds of data are used by scouting staff. He was interviewed by Houghton junior Nate Herman, who majors in Data Science with a minor in Athletic Administration and is interested in pursuing a career in sports analytics. The event was coordinated by Seth Hodgkins, a senior with a double major in Data Science and Computer Science.

“We were so excited to welcome Adam from the Texas Rangers team as part of our PRO Talk Series at Houghton University,” said Carmen Mckell, director of the Center for Data Science Analytics and associate professor. “Clearly, data analytics have changed baseball since the movie Moneyball. Adam gave our students a close-up perspective on what it’s like to use a data-driven approach to improve team performance. His talk provided real-life examples that were of interest to those who love data and baseball.” 

Lewkowicz’s talk was well attended and he gave valuable insights to the students about making critical data-based decisions and the importance of communicating data insights. After talking with Houghton students Lewkowicz had many positive things to say about his experience, as well. 

It was a tremendous experience getting to meet some of the students at Houghton University. For the Texas Rangers, data is a vital cog in our decision making process and getting to speak with like minded individuals from Houghton was enjoyable and gratifying. It’s clear they have a very well run department who are full of students eager to learn.

– Adam Lewkowicz

These talks are more than guest lectures as Houghton data science students are involved in planning the events as well as interviewing the speakers, allowing them to build relationships that are key in the sports industry and can lead to hands-on projects, internships, and job opportunities. 

“Learning to become a data scientist involves being curious about data as well as immersing yourself in projects where you can continuously learn,” continued McKell. “In addition to core data science skills, our hands-on experiences focus on key areas such as collaboration, problem-solving, research, planning & organization which are all key when you are trying to understand and generate insights from real-world data”