name: Cavan Helmeling
School year: 2025
Selection subjects: Math
minor: Data Science and Economics
home town: St. Louis, Missouri
Internship organization: Myelin System
Internship Title: Technical Analyst Intern
position: remote
What happens during your internship? We'd love to hear about what you do!
The first half of my internship has been defined as mostly background and learning with some ad-hoc assignments, and so far it has gone that way. My boss worked closely with me and assigned me readings on machine learning, AI, and cloud-based systems, as well as small exercises related to each topic. I have read about different types of databases used in AI, and am now starting to query graph databases and am learning Cypher (a coding language) to better understand how to use them. Databases and coding are very different from other coding languages I have used, so it requires some patience. I have also attended various meetings with the company's business leaders, and it has been interesting to see the decisions on how the company defines its product strategy. I have also contributed to some deliverables that are presented to potential customers. I meet with my boss every week to discuss the assigned topic, where we review our findings and ask clarifying questions. We meet two days before the scheduled weekly presentation to review the one-page summary I have created, and then present that summary to the CEO. At first, I was quite intimidated. However, I became so used to the information and the support of my superiors that I realized presenting it in a condensed form wasn't so scary.
My manager also incorporates professional development. Each week, there is a job description posted that is related to what I'm learning that week (for example, Machine Learning Engineer at TikTok). We then discuss the job description and the skills required, my certifications, and what I'm learning/working on at Myelin Systems. My manager also critiques my answers to questions about the material and advises me on how I can answer them more clearly.
Why did you apply for this internship?
Artificial intelligence is everywhere and constantly growing. As a student, I didn't really understand how it was used or what platforms it was tied to. I was immediately captivated by the desire to learn more about AI and its use with data. I had heard the term machine learning, but had no idea what it was before joining Myelin Systems. As a technologist, I was very intrigued by the prospect of learning about this rapidly growing field and felt it could be applied to the future career path I envision, so I decided to apply.
What did you like most about this internship?
What I like most about this internship is how my boss has shaped it. She has deep knowledge of the field, and it's much more than you can cram into in one summer. I'm learning a broad perspective on different aspects of science and business, and she's not only willing to share her knowledge with me, but she really wants me to guide what I'm learning. She said that if I want to discuss something else or explore it further, she's happy to support me and my growth. For example, I wanted to learn more about how Myelin Systems uses AI in their products, so she spent a session walking me through their current development project and explaining why the graph database I studied was essential to the solution. Also, this job doesn't feel like a pure internship. The internship is designed in stages, and this first stage focuses on learning and background knowledge, getting me familiar with the technology and field terminology used by the company. I have a lot of autonomy to direct my summer toward my area of interest while still contributing to the overall development of the company.
Artificial intelligence is everywhere and constantly growing, and I was immediately hooked on learning more about AI and its use of data.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?
The biggest challenge for me is diving into a world that is so vast. There is so much to learn in the world of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). It is very complicated and I am a beginner in this field. The supplemental material that my supervisor assigns is dense and the vocabulary is new and difficult. I often have to do a lot of research just to understand one paragraph. Although my supervisor is always available to answer any questions I may have, it can be frustrating when my only question is, “So… what does this mean?” Instead of letting this frustration build, I remind myself to be patient and persistent, slowly working my way through a topic piece by piece until I understand it. This may seem difficult, but when I look back at how much I have learned in just a few weeks, I am amazed. The step-by-step approach and the weekly process was a great approach. I have to keep an open mind and remember that I am learning something completely new to me. My supervisor tells me not to worry if I feel uncomfortable during the process. My mother knows I won't be able to learn all of this material in the summer and that the subjects are difficult, but she feels a little more comforted each day as she watches me grow.
Through the Center for Career and Civic Engagement’s Beyond Bryn Mawr Summer Internship Program, Bryn Mawr students pursue opportunities in fields such as nonprofit, government and law, healthcare, research, science, business, and the arts. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and donors, each year more than 150 students from all undergraduate schools receive financial assistance to pursue unpaid internship or research experiences in the U.S. and abroad.
Center for Career and Civic Engagement Mathematics Data Science Economics