Suggestions
Erin Patel
Adjunct Instructor and Doctoral Student
Erin Duffy Patel is an Adjunct Instructor in data analytics and marketing at Winthrop University's College of Business and Technology.12 She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Winthrop in 2007 and an MBA from Winthrop in 2009.12 Currently, she is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at West Virginia University, with an expected graduation in 2027.1
Professional Experience
Patel has over 14 years of experience in consumer product goods, having held positions such as:
- Director of category management at Anheuser-Busch
- Senior category manager at Kimberly-Clark, Conagra, Clorox, and Chobani1
Academic Contributions
At Winthrop University, Patel:
- Teaches data analytics and marketing courses1
- Partners with faculty and local non-profits to benefit students1
- Leads "Retail Adventures" with NextUp Carolinas, impacting approximately 200 Winthrop students since 20141
- Hosts panels on topics like AI decision-making and removing data bias1
- Mentors marketing and data analytics students since 20141
Awards and Recognition
Patel received the 2024 Alumni Distinguished Service Award from Winthrop University for her significant contributions to the community and support of the university's growth and development.1
Personal
Erin lives in Indian Land with her husband, Arpit (also a Winthrop alumnus, Class of 2007), and their two sons, Neil and Liam.1 The couple has been actively involved in supporting Winthrop, including making a challenge gift for the university's Day of Giving in 2023.1
Highlights
Are there any local Charlotte nonprofits looking to grow their team's data skills? I have longer availability coming up in the Fall and Spring semester where I have time to collaborate pro bono on getting your organization set up on DataCamp's nonprofit educational tools, helping with answering questions, and designing projects.
I had the most wonderful conversation with a student today looking for advice. In the end of the conversation, I broke down exactly what I did during the conversation to build the relationship, establish comfort on both ends, and keep the conversation flowing. I think sometimes we forget things that feel intuitive after 15+ years are hard when you first learning. Networking is a skill that needs constant practice and fine tuning.
It led to me reflecting on my start in 2009 when all I knew was that I wanted to be "successful". I wanted to be a "VP" and "decision maker" at a big company and have an illustrious career. One morning early in my career I read this comic: https://xkcd.com/896/ and it has stuck with me ever since.
I stopped trying to build a career around "being great" and instead built a career around doing something I loved (Data Analytics) and doing it so hard by mastering it, I somehow found greatness in the process.
I hope my new career in higher ed will have a similar impact. I don't want to be the best instructor, I just want to do it is so hard because I genuinely love explaining things my students will learn to find greatness in the process.
