sUdo Sessions: Kailey Larsen, IT Enterprise Architecture

Note: This is the first installment in sUdo Sessions, a new Node 4 series about students in the Student University Development Opportunity program. The paid internship provides University of Utah students real-world work experience to augment their degrees and often is a stepping stone to full-time positions in a relevant field.

What brought you to the University of Utah?

My family members have always been big Utah fans because my mom has worked at the University of Utah Hospital for more than 20 years, so I was very excited when I had the opportunity to go to school here.

How did you find out about the sUdo program, and what attracted you to it?

I’m a part of the TEK Club at the David Eccles School of Business, and the group had a networking event where different companies that have internship/job opportunities talked about their programs and sUdo was one of them. What interested me most about sUdo was that I would get hands-on experience and not just fetch coffee, and that the program works with your school schedule — that was very important.

What's your focus in the program?

My position is with Enterprise Architecture, and I love it!

What's day-to-day life like as a sUdo intern?

I learn something new every day and get to interact with so many great people who have lots of knowledge. I also allocate my time between a few big projects and meetings.

What’s challenging about the program or your position?

We have to think outside of the box to overcome roadblocks for projects that we’re working on. Not everything works out smoothly the first go-around — sometimes we have to go back to the drawing board a few times before we find the most efficient solution. When that solution is found, the feeling of overcoming our obstacles is a great reward.

How does your major complement what you’re doing in the sUdo program?

I’m getting my bachelor’s in Information Systems, so it gives me a good foundational knowledge for how things work in various areas of focus, including databases, networking, and software development.

How do you expect to use the experience you’re getting from the sUdo program?

With architecture, we partner with various teams on new projects they’re implementing, so I get a high-level overview of how all the teams work together to allow the enterprise to run as a functioning unit. It’s really neat seeing the different components and technologies that everyone uses. This will be a great foundation and will be applicable to wherever I end up, although I’m hoping I will find a home here at the U.

What advice would you give other sUdo students, or prospective applicants?

My advice to other students is that everyone who works at the U has something you can learn from, and in my experience, if you’re willing to put the time and effort into learning, then others will take the time to teach you. There are multiple people I’ve worked with on different teams who, even though they aren’t my mentor, help me grow as a professional and help me refine my skill sets. Bottom line, use this time to learn as much as you can while you have such great resources.

What’s been your favorite part of being a sUdo intern?

The awesome people I get to interact with on a daily basis and being a part of projects that have a positive impact on students, health care providers, and patient care overall at the University of Utah.

 

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