University of North Texas 
diligently toward it every day, the universe conspires to make it happen by turning all the tables
in your favor.
I, Sri Nithya Thimmaraju, began my Master’s in Information Science, specializing in Data Science, at the University of North Texas in January 2023. From a young age, I’ve been deeply inspired by my brother, Rishwi Thimmaraju, and my parents, Nalini and Sriram Thimmaraju. They encouraged me to dream big, aim high, and turn unrealistic dreams into reality. With the dream of pursuing a Master’s in the United States, I focused from day one on acquiring multiple skills, encouraging a sophisticated environment around me, and learning something new every day.
In March 2023, I was fortunate to receive a Teaching and Research Assistantship under Dr. Aledhari, which significantly boosted my profile. As an international student, finding quick opportunities in the corporate world can be challenging. Therefore, as an entry-level data science professional, I knew I had to work on building my profile, project portfolio, networking, and LinkedIn presence from the very beginning—starting around August 2023. I began networking with professionals in my department, who were incredibly resourceful and motivating, pushing me to further my confidence.
Among these mentors was Dr. Kinshuk, an intellectual with unparalleled expertise in guiding students. One line from Dr. Kinshuk that I always remember is: “The right opportunity will find you at the perfect moment. It won't come when you want it, but only when the time is truly right.” Keeping this in mind, I patiently waited for the right opportunity to come my way, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk to improve my project work, profile, skillset, and network.
By January 2024, I had applied to over 1,500 jobs and secured just two interviews. In February, I pushed even harder, reaching out to every recruiter on LinkedIn and following up constantly on the status of my applications. I attended all the career fairs hosted by the UNT Career Center, reached out to people multiple times, and faced countless rejections, but never gave up on trying even harder.
By March 2024, I had 3 real-time projects that were ideated and implemented completely by myself. My resume was stronger and fully refined to meet industry standards. I decided to take a risk and graduate by Summer 2024. I was fortunate to be offered an internship as a Data Science Intern at nSpire AI, where I successfully worked on building innovative LLM-based prompt models. This internship further strengthened my profile, leading to an interview opportunity with Acacia, a company in Dallas, TX.
I prepared thoroughly and presented my best self during an in-person interview at their office. The interview lasted 40 minutes and included technical questions, project discussions, and an opportunity to showcase my strengths and explain why I was the perfect candidate for the company. After all my hard work, I was thrilled to be selected for the role and gladly accepted the full-time position as a Product Data Analyst at Acacia Insurance Managers. I officially started the Full-time position on August 1, 2024—just four days after my graduation on July 26, 2024.
Since childhood, I’ve firmly believed in one thing: “When you truly desire something and work diligently toward it every day, the universe conspires to make it happen by turning all the tables in your favor.