Learning Online, Leading in FinTech: Jason Dorman’s Journey

Duke University’s Master’s of Engineering in Financial Technology (FinTech) program is known for producing graduates who go on to become leaders in financial innovation. Among the current students preparing to follow that path is Jason Dorman, an online student in the Duke FinTech program and DevOps Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Jason’s interest in fintech started when he saw the opportunity for growth in the industry. As he explored the fintech’s applications to the finance industry, he discovered how technologies like blockchain can be used to solve industry problems. Additionally, after building a quantitative trading system himself, Jason knew he wanted to expand his expertise in finance and the fintech industry. After finding Duke FinTech’s industry leading program, Jason decided to take the leap and start working towards his goal of achieving a master’s degree.

In addition to being a student, Jason is a DevOps Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton. In his role, his modernizes legacy systems from monoliths to microservices with automated container orchestration and management. He also builds and maintains automated continuous integration and continuous deliver (CI/CD) pipelines, as well as builds and maintain cloud infrastructure through infrastructure as code.

When reflecting on how the program has helped him in his current role, as well as a future one, Jason notes how he can already see the logical progression of the program. In one semester, he has been able to build a solid foundation in programming, statistics, and finance that he can apply to the finance industry. He even has been able to use the statistical models he has learned to improve the success rate of his quantitative trading model! Additionally, Jason mentioned how the program is dynamic, allowing students to customize according to their future goals. Whether it be quantitative trading, building a blockchain solution, or creating a venture, Jason can see his path forward into the fintech industry.

Besides the industry skills and knowledge Jason is gaining, he also mentioned how the online program has allowed him to get his master’s while accommodating his professional and family life. With the opportunity to join classes live or work at his own pace, Jason has the flexibility he needs to balance school, work, and family. In addition to the support and systems Duke FinTech has in place to make sure online students are successful, Jason mentions how program’s design has helped him feel part of the Duke community from afar. Beside regular access to faculty, staff, and TA’s, online students are required to attend one residency (a three day on-campus visit) during their time at students at Duke. During this visit, students get to meet with people in the Duke FinTech community, building connections to the university and the program.

To learn more about our online program, please contact pratt_fintech@duke.edu.