A Day in the Life of UDig’s Data & Client Services Interns

Ever wondered what a day in the life of our interns is like? This series will give you all the details! Our “Day in the Life” subjects are UDig’s Data interns: Wheat Fralin and Symone Randle; and Jackson Hardy, UDig’s client services intern. Here’s what a typical day looks like for Wheat, Symone, and Jackson. 

Wheat Fralin studies at the University of Virginia and is majoring in Computer Science.

Symone Randle studies at Middle Tennessee State University and is majoring in Data Science.

Jackson Hardy studies at the University of Richmond and is majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Consulting and a minor in Leadership.

Want to hear from our software interns? Check out A Day in the Life of UDig’s Software Interns.

The Project

This summer, we worked together to create a streamlined ELT process for a vacation rental company. We focused on simplification, control, and stability. The client’s previous data pipeline infrastructure was reliant on Java, which had resulted in a host of challenges. As a team, we worked to implement Airbyte pipelines with Kestra orchestration, greatly improving the company’s data management and overall efficiency. 

Jackson served as our delivery manager. He took charge of gathering requirements, managing the backlog and sprint planning, and reporting to stakeholders. 

Dig into our project here.

Here’s what a day at UDig is like for us! 

Morning 

WF: My morning starts as I drag myself out of bed around eight – I’m not a morning person. Once I’m up, I shower and spend a little too much time picking out my outfit for the day. I’m located in Richmond, so I come into the office as often as I can. Usually there’s one day a week where I work from home, but I really enjoy being here, in person. As soon as I get to the office, I make a cup of coffee to start the workday.  

SR: I’m definitely an early riser, I like to wake up at six to give myself plenty of time to wake up and get ready for the day. A typical morning for me consists of feeding my cats, making coffee, and catching up on anything I may have missed overnight. Unlike Wheat, I’m located in Nashville. I tend to work from home, although the team at the Nashville office likes to plan one day a week to meet up, work together at the office, and grab lunch.    

JH: I play football for the University of Richmond, so my day typically starts off with a football workout; our morning training consists of a run and a lift. After that, I shower, grab breakfast, and head to work. You can almost always find me at the Richmond office, I really enjoy working with and around other team members. It’s a great environment and I love being able to connect with the other interns in person. 

Lunch Time

WF: I love going out to eat with colleagues; my favorite local spot is Lemon Indian. I think it’s important to get up and take a break from the computer when I can, so I opt for grabbing lunch out whenever I can. If I’m grabbing something quick, I like to bring it back to the office and use the time to make small to-do lists for myself or respond to messages from throughout the day. 

SR: When I work from home, I like to make something quick at the house. From time to time, the Nashville team will get together to go out for lunch, it’s a great time to connect during the day! Our favorite spot is Condado Tacos, it’s located in Franklin, Tennessee which is just a few miles west of the Nashville office. During lunch, I make a point to block off 30 minutes of no work. It’s really important to me that I use the time to clear my mind and prepare for the rest of the day.  

JH: My lunch plans vary each day. Sometimes I’ll pack a lunch to eat at the office, but if a group wants to go out to eat, I always take advantage of that. Patrick, my mentor, Wheat, and I go out a good bit – my favorite lunch so far has been an all-you-can-eat Indian restaurant we went to recently! If I want something quick, Chipotle and Jersey Mikes are my go-to because they’re close to the office. If I’m not going out, I like to use my lunch break to catch up on my phone whether it’s checking texts I may have missed or responding to emails and Slack messages. Aside from that, I enjoy taking time to unwind by listening to music – my favorite is country – or reading. I tend not to focus on anything too serious during this time, as I use the time unwind halfway through the day. 

Afternoon 

WF: Post-lunch is my grind time. This is when I find myself most productive and able to get the most work done. As interns, we have book club meetings once a week after lunch, I also sit in on data team meetings in the afternoon if the opportunity presents itself. This summer, I’ve learned how important it is to communicate both with your team and your client. I’ve also discovered what real world data science can look like… I prefer it to the academic classes!  

SR: After lunch, I like to have a change of scenery. I have a balcony at home, so I often find myself sitting outside in the afternoon while I work. When time allows, I like to go for a quick 15-minute walk in the afternoon to clear my mind. It’s reenergizing to get some fresh air after lunch, especially if I’ve been inside all day, not to mention that my cats love sitting outside with me while I work! One of the most valuable things I have learned throughout my work here this summer is how to collaborate with external clients on improving their data management processes.  

JH: Most of my meetings take place in the afternoon. One thing I love about UDig is the flexibility we are allowed, even as interns. Because I play football, I tend to have mandatory meetings and training throughout the day. Because UDig allows me to be so flexible, I still have plenty of time in the afternoon and early evening to sit in on meetings, get my work done, and prepare for the following day. 

After Work

WF: I like doing yard work, playing video games, and catching up with my parents after a day at the office; my favorite video game right now has to be Legend of Zelda. Additionally, I have been working on getting an Intelligent Automation (IA) certification, IA is one of UDig’s service areas, and I’m interested in learning more about it. When it comes time to unwind, I like to go to bed early – around 10 or 10:30 – rest is important!  

SR: Recently, I’ve been into getting in a good workout after work. When it’s time to unwind, I like to make a nice dinner and play my video game of choice, which, at the moment, is Final Fantasy 16. As of late, I’ve also been interested in learning more about genomics. I’ve been reading a book about defending the patenting of genes by major companies, it’s fascinating!  

JH: After work, I focus on doing activities that are productive for me – sometimes I find myself back at the gym doing a lighter workout and listening to music or listening to a podcast centered around self-development. Either way, I find it important to do something that gets my energy out and helps me unwind after a busy workday. I love anything sports related, so you can also find me playing NCAA 14, a football video game.