Carly Ukalovic, student in the Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics program at Pitt.
In the Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics (BSHI) program at Pitt, students have the opportunity to participate in one three-credit internship to gain further knowledge of the profession through an immersive experience with an established site where they can apply what they’ve learned in their courses to hands-on work. Last summer, Carly Ukalovic (BSHI ‘24), completed her internship with BNY Mellon in Pittsburgh, which greatly influenced her goals in pursuing a career in data analytics.
Read more to learn about Ukalovic’s experience at BNY Mellon!
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Ukalovic (third from right) with fellow interns at BNY Mellon.
In the world of career fairs and internships, the path often comes with its share of challenges, especially for students who are just starting their professional journey. My summer internship at BNY Mellon, on the other hand, was a significant turning point. It not only introduced me to the technology environment within a bank, but also set the stage for my entry into BNY Mellon’s Engineering Analyst Program as a full-time data analyst.
It all started at the Pitt Computing Career Fair where I stumbled upon an exciting opportunity to engage with BNY Mellon. As a junior in my first year of the Pitt Health Informatics program, my growing interest in technology and data analytics made the company's offerings even more enticing. After that initial encounter at the career fair, the process of securing the internship involved a series of interviews. The Health Informatics Student Association members helped prepare HI students by hosting a mock interview workshop with possible interview questions. In the interviews, I felt a strong connection with the company's culture and mission. Those interviews not only affirmed my interest but also solidified my determination to become a part of BNY Mellon.
During my summer internship in BNY Mellon's Technology Services Group - Engineering, I had the chance to be hands-on with some key projects. Here are the highlights from my time there:
Effective Collaboration
I had the opportunity to collaborate with various sub-teams, including those focusing on computing, storage and backup within Platform Engineering. This experience quickly highlighted the importance of cross-functional communication and teamwork for me. Gathering project requirements and ensuring smooth collaboration became essential parts of my daily tasks.
Data Insights with Power BI
An essential tool during my internship was Power BI, a business analytics service by Microsoft that provides interactive visualizations and business intelligence capabilities. Data visualization is a way to show information in pictures or graphs rather than mere numbers. This helps us see important trends and insights more easily. It empowered me to craft visually informative charts, shedding light on data-driven insights. The art of data visualization became a valuable skill I acquired.
Python for Data Efficiency
My role was all about efficient data processing, and Python became my go-to tool. It is a programming language used in various fields including data science, machine learning and web development. I used Python for tasks like data extraction, transformation and analysis, which streamlined the data processing. This practical experience significantly enhanced my technical skills.
Embracing the Scrum Master Role
A significant moment in my internship journey was stepping into the shoes of a scrum master. Scrum is an agile framework for managing projects. A scrum master is responsible for facilitating the scrum process and ensuring the team follows its practices. Guiding the data analytics team through stand-up calls, planning, refinement, and retrospective sessions was a hands-on lesson in organization, leadership, and agile methodologies.
Internship Reflection
Ukalovic (second from right) with fellow interns at BNY Mellon.
As I reflect on my journey at BNY Mellon, it's essential to acknowledge the role of my academic experience in the Health Informatics program. Courses like Instructor Steve Moeini’s "Fundamentals of Relational Database Systems" were instrumental in shaping my skills and preparing me for the professional world. This course equipped me with a solid foundation in the relational model, a deep understanding of Structured Query Language (SQL), and practical insights into data analytics. Applying these concepts to real-world scenarios was the key to my successful internship. Furthermore, Professor Pulantara Wayan’s “Data Science in Health Informatics,” a Python-based course, played a crucial role in enhancing my programming skills. This course served as a valuable foundation for the technical aspects of my internship.
My time at BNY Mellon wasn't just about acquiring technical skills, it was also about uncovering my professional path. Before the internship, I grappled with a pivotal decision. I was unsure whether I should pursue the business/tech side of health informatics or focus more on the health care aspect. It was during this internship that I realized how health informatics embodies the combination of business, technology, and medicine. This realization opened my eyes to a multitude of opportunities within the field.
With the conclusion of my internship journey came a new beginning. I have been offered a position as a data analyst at BNY Mellon, where I am thrilled to return after graduation.
I encourage students, whether in their first year or beyond, to embrace career fairs and internships as valuable learning experiences. These endeavors are not just about securing positions, they are about gaining insights, building connections, and discovering your passions. Much like my journey led me to BNY Mellon, your path may also lead you to exciting destinations in the world of technology and business.
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Written by: Carly Ukalovic (BSHI ‘24)