Intern of the Week: Bhavika Chavda for Data Science!

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 09:00:34 -0500
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Name: Bhavika Chavda

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: DataDistillr

Position Title: Data Science Intern

Major or Program: Master of Professional Studies in Data Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

Work Term: Summer 2021 - Fall 2021

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

Day to day tasks include data wrangling, data enrichment using a plethora of other platforms, data analysis, ML modeling and data visualization. I also work with the Sales and Marketing team to create data science related content for the platform to increase visibility and platform engagement.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I was studying DATA 604 under Prof. Charles Givre. He informed us of internship openings in his company i.e., DataDistillr. I applied for the position as soon as I heard of the opportunity. He conducted an interview and then I was hired.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

Everyone at my organization is super helpful and super smart. Everyday was a learning experience in itself while being fun all the while.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

Although I have much to learn, I feel I am able to find unique and valuable insights from data to help clients and charities find potential donors for fundraisers, marathons, peer-to-peer campaigns, dinners, etc. I was able to help make the world a better place by reaching out to those who would willingly take action to help make it better.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Be willing to learn and do not shy away from experimenting. Keep a to-do list to keep track of your time and effort. Make sure to network within the organization by sending messages at intervals to keep in touch (Don't be nervous, no one bites. Just send messages to say hi, keep it simple). Ask for tasks to be done if you are not given any. Think of ways to contribute and start executing, don't wait.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

I loved how considerate everyone that I contacted from the Career Center was. I liked the training they gave during the internship, it helped me navigate my way around the organization and also helped me be more assertive. The Career Center's constant reminders of the task completion helped me keep on track with my progress and complete the assignments on time.

Being an international student, it was difficult for me to find an internship and for this reason, I am grateful that DataDistillr trusted in me. I have learned how to conduct data analysis and machine learning modeling while being able to conduct meetings with clients on a one-on-one basis. DataDistillr offered me a permanent position and I accepted the offer. I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to growing in my career through DataDistillr.

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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Monday!