Swimming with the Data Sharks: Alex Radford’s Journey
Alex Radford is a proud 2026 Master’s graduate from our School of Data Science. Alex’s journey in Charlotte was shaped by growth, gratitude, and transformation, and by the acknowledgment that the path may not be linear, but that one should always stay the course to reach the finish line.
Experience at UNC Charlotte
Alex Radford is a proud transfer student from Wake Technical Community College who made his experience at UNC Charlotte his own. Inspired by UNC Charlotte’s growth and innovation over the past several years, Alex sought to be part of that progress both in and outside the classroom while pursuing his longstanding passion for data science.
“I chose UNC Charlotte because it’s one of the few schools in North Carolina that offers a graduate program in Data Science, and it holds R1 status, the highest research classification a university can receive.”
“I’ve been into data science since I was a kid. Shark Tank got me hooked on business early on. I’d watch and wonder what actually makes one company stand out when everyone seems to be selling something. The older I got, the more I noticed the same pattern: the companies pulling ahead were the ones using data better than anyone else. That was the edge.”
With an appreciation for outside-the-box thinking and crafting lessons that help improve the student’s quality of understanding difficult material, Alex wanted to highlight Professor Ryan Wesslen for the impact he had on his development as a student.
“Professor Ryan Wesslen knew the material inside and out, loved teaching it, and genuinely wanted his students to succeed. That combination stuck with me and shaped how I think about my education and career.”
Charlotte prides itself on providing students with valuable lessons and learning experiences that don’t stop at the classroom. Students can grow and develop a deeper self-awareness of who they are during their stint at Charlotte. When asked, “What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before coming to Charlotte?” Alex presented an enthusiastic answer.
“I can achieve anything I put my mind to! My dad told me that growing up, and earning a Master’s in Data Science is what actually made me believe it. Stay committed, and the rest follows.”
Piece of Advice
Alex would be remiss if he did not share that his college journey was not the natural path most would take, but that he wouldn’t have had it go any other way.
“My path to college wasn’t ‘normal, ‘ and that’s something I want people to hear. It’s never too late to go back to school, whether for an undergraduate or a graduate degree. Education opens doors you didn’t know existed and helps you grow into someone you never thought you could be.”
Alex is currently working full-time as a Data Scientist at MSC Industrial Supply Co., where he is loving the wide variety of problems he has been given the opportunity to solve, using various tools, leading his own projects, and taking on roles outside of data science and AI engineering.