Lucas Garces is a double- alumnus of Wichita State University. He first graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's in business administration, then again in 2020 with a master’s in applied economics. Today, he works at Google as a data scientist.
His degrees reflect his interest in finance and economics. His bachelor's concentration was in finance and financial management services, and his master’s focused on financial economics. However, Garces was still exploring his ideal career path during college. It was through various internship roles during his studies that he began to uncover it.
While earning his degrees, Garces held multiple internships that served as steppingstones to his current role at Google. As a student, he was a campus recruiter intern for the financial advisors at Northwestern Mutual, an administrative and graduate assistant at the Barton School of Business, and several other positions that helped him refine his career goals.
One of these roles was as a graduate research assistant for the WSU Center for Real Estate. There, he was introduced to data processing and analytical reporting. At the WSU Center for Real Estate, he used statistical software for data analysis which he would build on in his next role as a data science intern at the WSU Office of the President.
In this internship, he expanded his data management skills and became immersed in a new career interest: “how economics explained abstract concepts through applied or theoretical models,” Garces said. He gained not only necessary industry knowledge, but also valuable mentorship.
“My supervisors in each position were exemplary, friendly, and optimistic, each with unique personalities. I loved my time at each position. I’m glad I made the most of them all and I’m truly grateful for everyone who was part of my career journey,” Garces said.
Soon after graduating with his master’s degree, Garces started working at DISH Network in 2021. Initially starting as a reporting analyst, he was promoted to data scientist. At DISH Network, he was involved in pricing internet service bundles, customer lifetime estimations, and more.
“I'm grateful for the opportunities at DISH Network, the excellent colleagues I worked with, and the strong professional relationships I built,” Garces said.
Garces left DISH Network in 2022 and began his new role as a data scientist at Meta. Unlike previous positions, he was recruited for the role. At Meta, he faced a fast-paced work environment and a learning curve. However, with his excitement, preparation, and a friendly team, his transition became a welcome change in his professional life. He leveled up his skills, learning how to effectively communicate in presentations and meetings, setting priorities, decision-making and stakeholder management. All of this advanced his technical capabilities.
“Technically, I honed my experimentation skills: conducting large-scale online controlled experiments, developing a strong product sense, understanding user needs, behaviors and market dynamics. Ultimately, I learned how to leverage these skills to inform business decisions,” Garces said.
After leaving Meta in late 2024, Garces began the new year with his new role at Google. Garces, now a Google data scientist since January 2025, is working on the technology of the future.
“I’m currently working on scaling financial analytics on the AI Overview product for the Search Platforms team. A robust analytics pipeline enables data-driven decision-making by leadership. I’m learning about how deep learning frameworks work at scale for training and evaluation,” Garces said.
Since graduating, Garces has worked for major companies including DISH Network, Meta, and now Google. His current resume eclipses his student one, but those student roles have led him here.
“I'm grateful for the diverse opportunities at Wichita State which allowed students from all disciplines — including international students like me — to engage with the University culture through on-campus employment, gaining experience and earning supplemental income,” Garces said.
Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.
For more information, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.
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