Certificate in Science Foundations, University of Pennsylvania ’25
Master of Business Administration, Temple University Fox School of Business and Management ’14
Bachelor of Science in Journalism, Grand Valley State University ’06
“I’m not a scientist by trade,” explains Ross Anderson (Certificate in Science Foundations ’25). As a finance professional who specializes in accounting and controlling, however, many of his clients are start-ups and large organizations in the technology and biotechnology sectors. Penn’s Certificate in Science Foundations gave Ross a better understanding of the companies he works with. “I was looking to learn more about science and advance my skills,” he says. “I was curious, and it helps advance my career to know more about the product. I get better insights into everything that’s going on and what helps these companies run.”
As a Science Foundations student, Ross took courses that touched on subjects including chemistry, biology, physics, and science communication. The accelerated online classes included reading and lectures as well as interactive assignments such as class presentations, group projects, and discussion boards. Although Ross continued to work with finance clients as he pursued the certificate, he found it possible to balance his professional and academic responsibilities by completing assignments in the evenings. “It was a pretty big change, but I still learned a lot and grew a lot,” he reflects. He advises fellow students to make some time every day to engage with their coursework. “It really kept me on my toes. There was always something due—which is kind of nice, because you have to keep it moving,” he adds. “It’s only eight weeks. Do what you have to do.”
Once completed, the certificate added another credential to his professional portfolio. “It helps to have more of a science background, and it also helps to have the Penn name on my resume,” he notes. But apart from the certificate’s professional applications, Ross found himself genuinely interested and engaged with the subject matter, and many of his class assignments stayed with him. “The discovery of the structure of DNA was a big one for me, and there are a lot of things in chemistry that I had just never done before—and that were very useful, working in the life sciences,” he says. “I’m definitely thinking of doing more science and sustainability coursework in the future.”
