Alumni Spotlight: Derek Sprunger ’09

Derek Sprunger is a Data Scientist at Lululemon Athletica Inc., a designer, distributor, and retailer of technical athletic apparel based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has followed his interests in math and business since discovering them at the Academy as a member of the class of 2009.

Derek came to the Academy from Burris Laboratory School. While at the Academy, he was the co-captain of the baseball team and played varsity tennis. He credits the Academy for giving him a unique academic experience, exposure to a diverse student body, and some of his most cherished friendships. His favorite classes ranged from Calculus to the American Civil War to World Literature.

After the Academy, Derek attended Indiana University in Bloomington. He graduated with Highest Distinction and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.S. in Mathematics, a B.A. in Economics, and a certificate in Liberal Arts and Management. Outside of the classroom, Derek studied higher education affordability on a student advisory board to IU President Michael McRobbie and served as president of a social investing group. Also during college, Derek volunteered as a tour guide of New York City for an Academy May Term class.

After four years in Bloomington, Derek moved to Chicago to work in strategy and operations consulting for Deloitte Consulting LLP. He focused on using analytics and statistics techniques to identify cost savings opportunities for clients in the consumer products, distribution, retail, and manufacturing sectors. Derek also served as a pro bono operations advisor for an award-winning new community center in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood.

Derek recently moved to Vancouver and helps merchandising, design, planning, digital, strategy, and research & development teams use their data to accelerate operational improvements. Outside of work, he spends his time enjoying an incredible ski season, hiking, guest speaking for local data science groups, and training for his first mountain climbing expedition this summer.

To this day, Derek remains in daily contact with his four best friends from the Academy and still speaks regularly with several of his Academy teachers.