Internship Recap - How Was the Summer for the Interns?
This summer, our office was buzzing with fresh energy as we welcomed our interns who were eager to learn, contribute, and make their mark. Over the past few months, they’ve tackled real projects, asked great questions, and brought new perspectives to our team. Now that summer is winding down, we wanted to hear about their experience and everything they’re taking with them to the next chapter of their careers.
Zee
What was your favorite project you worked on this summer? My favorite project was updating the persistency study. I had a lot of freedom and was able to build it out in a new and improved way.
What was your favorite outside of work event you attended? Definitely the college World Series. I am not originally from Omaha, and staying within walking distance from the stadium was super fun!
Explain Telos in one word. Strategic
What skill(s) did you gain or improve? The main skill I improved on was being able to learn, produce, and effectively communicate my work. There is a strong encouragement and culture for deeper understanding, and being able to explain the work I had done allowed me to better understand it.
What surprised you about actuarial work? I was surprised by the blend of logic, school/exam knowledge, and industry specific ideas. Seeing all of these concepts actually play out together was very cool!
Final thoughts. At Telos, I was being trained on real work that is used for clients since the first day. I feel as if I provided real value to the company, even when they provided an incredible amount of knowledge and experience for me as well.
Logan
What was your favorite project you worked on this summer? My favorite project I worked on this summer was updating the Aging Trend Study.
What was your favorite outside of work event you attended? My favorite event I attended was Friday after-work pickleball. Completely non-work related, I really liked going to the CWS finals.
Explain Telos in one word. If I had to explain Telos in one word, it would be "comradery." There is a very strong sense of care, teamwork, and compassion in the office.
What skill(s) did you gain or improve? I think the biggest skill I gained was computer skills, but also knowledge of the profession in general and what an actuary really does.
What surprised you about actuarial work? I think most surprising is how many different things an actuary does. There is, as Brett calls it, the "art of actuary" - being able to use your opinion and gut to make decisions. There is also very much a process side, where you don’t have the freedom to change certain things.
Final thoughts. I couldn't have asked for a better first exposure to the industry, and the work and environment done and created here is one of a kind.
Josie
What was your favorite project you worked on this summer? My favorite assignment for the summer was a large data set analysis project. Despite all the challenges with obtaining and using the data, it was an interesting problem to work through. I liked the analysis aspect because it took a deeper understanding of the data to find what angle to approach it from, like a puzzle! I also felt like my knowledge of Access, SQL, and big data handling was greatly increased through this project.
What was your favorite outside of work event you attended? I loved going to play pickleball after work on Friday! It was a great chance to get to know everyone in a more casual setting and enjoy the nice summer weather!
Explain Telos in one word. Experienced. On a technical level, Telos has efficient processes that are easy to learn and understand. On an individual level, the company is filled with knowledgeable and experienced workers who are amazing to learn from when stepping into the Med Supp world!
What skill(s) did you gain or improve? Over the summer, I feel like I gained a lot of technical skills in Access and SQL, both of which I had very little experience with prior to this internship. I also learned a lot in Excel, useful shortcuts, power queries, and data handling!
What surprised you about actuarial work? I was surprised how often actuarial decision making took place. Not everything is left completely up to formulas or models, often times we need to step in and use critical thinking to decide when there’s an answer more practical and fitting than just the number output.
Final thoughts. I had a great summer at Telos! I loved the calm and comfortable environment, and I am grateful to have met so many friendly people!
