

The Strategy & Operations Management Association (SOMA) serves UCLA Anderson students interested in learning more about and exploring careers in the fields of data analytics, business strategy, corporate development and operations management. SOMA has propelled Anderson students into industry opportunities and learning experiences with alumni and the broader business community through career nights, company presentations, workshops and networking events. The club conducts several analytics and data sciences workshops throughout the year to help its members become data-smart for their summer internships and subsequent full-time careers. SOMA is committed to strengthening and expanding its professional network in the best interest of its members.

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Career Night
Fall Career Night is an excellent opportunity for club members to connect with recruiters and alumni through roundtable discussions, and learn about opportunities in a variety of functional roles, including corporate/internal strategy, operations, supply chain, marketing, corporate finance and analytics. Companies such as Disney, Mattel, Danaher, Amgen, Google and Amazon have participated in previous years, and several more companies are expected this year.
Case Competitions
Club members get a chance to show off and hone their analytics, critical thinking, leadership and presentation skills through several case competitions. SOMA creates avenues for a number of case competitions throughout the year and gives access to members to participate in on-campus, inter-school and online competitions.
Analytics Workshop
SOMA's resident student experts provide members with opportunities to learn analytics and be fully data-science-ready before their summer internships or full-time jobs! Some of the typical workshops include full-day sessions on data sciences, such as R, Python, Visualization and Storytelling, as well as shorter, hands-on sessions on SQL and Tableau. Advanced workshops on machine learning, artificial intelligence and optimization provide students with the ability to take a deeper dive into data and analytics.
Career Preparation Workshop
SOMA organizes career preparation workshops to prepare club members recruiting for the core functions represented by the club. These workshops are organized by second-years who were successful in their internship searches and include 101s, mock-interview practice and case studies typically expected in corporate interviews.
Days-on-the-Job (DOJs)
DOJs are organized to give students opportunities to visit company campuses, interact with recruiters and alumni, and get critical recruiting tips. SOMA has previously organized DOJs at companies such as Amgen, Amazon and others in the Los Angeles area.
Speaker Series
SOMA brings industry talent to campus to educate students on real-world applications regarding strategy, operations and analytics. Speaker series are intertwined with the career preparation and analytics workshops.