A System of Connections

PROVO, Utah – Aug 17, 2020 – Logan Sackley has always loved connecting with others. Between his current internship and his leadership roles in the Association for Information Systems club, he has plenty of opportunities to do so. Now, as a BYU Marriott first-year master of information systems management (MISM) student, he looks forward to creating new connections in the upcoming fall semester.

When Sackley arrived at BYU in 2018, he initially wanted to pursue a degree in finance or strategy at BYU Marriott. However, after taking IS 110, an introductory class that teaches students about Microsoft Excel, he found himself intrigued by the information systems (IS) program. “I remember going into work one day after learning some Excel functions in that class, and I started updating all our spreadsheets,” he says. “I was more productive at work that day, and I enjoyed what I was doing.” 

In the following semesters, Sackley decided to take more IS classes and found that his passion for the subject increased, leading him to apply to the program. “Information systems didn't come as naturally to me as finance did at first,” he says. “However, the things I learned were interesting, and the outcomes were rewarding. I recognized that the concepts and skills were useful to my career and real life, which is one of the main reasons IS appealed to me.” 

Now at his internship at Eide Bailly, a certified public accounting and business advisory firm, Sackley applies the skills that he is learning in the IS program to his role as a business intelligence developer. “I help build solutions for clients to extract, transform or present their data in meaningful ways,” he says.

Sackley appreciates that his internship supervisors trust him to have his own clients. “One of the things that is emphasized at Eide Bailly is taking responsibility,” he says. “I currently have my own client that I take care of, and I help that client find solutions. I’m grateful for Eide Bailly’s culture of taking ownership that allows me to take on the responsibility of managing a client and my relationship with them.” 

After he graduates in 2021 with his MISM degree, Sackley hopes to have a career that is along the same lines as his internship responsibilities. “I want to continue pursuing technology consulting, which is similar to what I’m already doing at Eide Bailly,” he says. “Technology consulting combines many of the things I love about information systems. I enjoy the technical side, such as programming or creating databases, and I also love the business side, where I can connect and interact with other people.” 

For Sackley, the interconnectedness of technology and business is one of the best aspects of the information systems program at BYU Marriott. “I love bridging the gap between the areas of working with technology and working with people,” he says.

Another place Sackley finds connection in the IS program is the Association for Information Systems (AIS) club, where he participates in club leadership as the vice president of finance. “One of my favorite aspects of the AIS club is getting to meet many other IS students who are also passionate about the program,” he says. “At many of the club events, I have the chance to meet and network with graduate students who are working with companies that I’d like to work with in the future.” While the club may operate a little differently this upcoming semester, Sackley’s enthusiasm to work with other IS students remains steadfast.

Beyond his excitement to connect with peers in the MISM program, Sackley is eager to deepen his connections with his professors. “I’m excited for the collaboration aspect of the MISM program, and the projects I’ll work on,” he says. “I have the opportunity to do a capstone project with some of my peers and continue to work with the awesome faculty at BYU Marriott. I can’t wait to brainstorm ideas and create something meaningful.”