On The Job: Ryan Manz BS ’27

Ryan Manz, BS ’27, is a double major in business intelligence and analytics and finance, currently spending his summer interning at Eigen X, a consulting firm that helps organizations drive business transformation through actionable insights and data-driven solutions. The skills Manz has developed at Saint Joseph’s University have provided a strong foundation for his internship experience. Throughout the summer, he has worked with a variety of data visualization, data preparation and dashboard design tools while contributing to client-focused projects. Most importantly, Manz has gained valuable hands-on experience and exposure to the professional world, allowing him to apply classroom concepts to real-world business challenges.

The Role:

Data Visualization & Analytics Intern, Eigen X

Describe your internship in three emojis:

📊 (chart)

🚀 (rocket)

🖥️ (computer)

The Day-to-Day:

My day-to-day typically revolves around three key areas. First, I have the opportunity to shadow real client projects, gaining insight into how consulting teams solve business challenges while asking questions and learning from experienced professionals. Second, I attend Tech Immersion sessions, where interns explore a variety of topics and technologies, such as Power BI, Snowflake and SQL. Finally, I work on my capstone project, where I design and build my own dashboard before presenting my work to company directors and employees.

It's 10 a.m. on a workday, what are you up to:

At 10 a.m., I’m usually participating in client meetings and doing my best to absorb as much information as possible during those calls. Working on real client projects is one of the most effective learning experiences because you’re often placed directly into the work and challenged to think through problems in real time. It pushes you to adapt quickly and ask the right questions.

Go-to snack or drink that gets you through the day:

Since I’ve never had coffee, my go-to is water. It may not be the most exciting answer, but staying consistently hydrated helps me stay focused and perform at my best throughout the day. As long as I’m drinking enough water, I find that both my mind and body function at a high level.

My “I nailed it” moment:

Since my internship is still ongoing until August, I would say my early “I nailed it” moment was when my mentor was impressed that I completed and refined my dashboard designs ahead of the deadline. I’m also looking forward to what I believe will be my biggest “I nailed it” moment, which will be presenting my capstone project to directors and managers in August. I’m excited to showcase everything I’ve learned and demonstrate the value of the work I’ve put together throughout the internship.

Favorite part of your role:

My favorite part of my role is the ability to create something meaningful from data and transform it into a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format. Data on its own can often look overwhelming or difficult to interpret, but when it is cleaned, structured and turned into a well-designed visualization, it becomes both impactful and engaging. Seeing that transformation is extremely rewarding and is one of the aspects I enjoy most about my work.

Fit check:

Tips for the next intern:

ASK QUESTIONS! There is no such thing as a dumb question. If you sit there in silence, that’s the wrong answer. Ask questions whenever you’re unsure and make sure to write everything down so you can go back to it later.

Fun/interesting collaborations:

On one of my first days at Eigen X, we went into Philadelphia for a Philly Tableau User Group event, where I had the chance to meet and hear from Andy Kriebel. Andy is a well-known Tableau expert and is recognized for his YouTube series, where he helps people build better and more creative dashboards.