Learning To Transform Data Into Stories With Experiential Learning
Sri Likhitha Anuganti, MS’25, data analytics engineering, transformed her career from a business analyst to a data storyteller through Northeastern’s academics, project-based learning, a co-op, and entrepreneurship.
When Sri Likhitha Anuganti, MS’25, data analytics engineering, considered where to advance her data analytics career, Northeastern stood out.
After earning her bachelor’s in information technology from Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology, Anuganti worked as a payments data analyst at the Development Bank of Singapore. While there, she realized that to effectively present financial data to colleagues, she needed to understand how they process information. This motivated her to deepen her technical knowledge of data analytics so she could transform more complex data into insights that anyone could readily understand.
She knew Northeastern’s data analytics engineering master’s program would help her develop those skills. And, the combination of experiential learning opportunities, acclaimed faculty, and a global alumni network convinced her to move from Hyderabad, India to Boston.
Service learning
Anuganti, Big Data for Cities classmates, and Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative members would collaborate throughout their project.
One course that challenged her understanding of data analytics was Big Data for Cities, taught by Daniel O’Brien, a professor of public policy & urban affairs and criminology & criminal justice. The course is structured so that students understand the real-world applications of big data with a focus on community and hands-on learning. Anuganti worked on a semester-long group project analyzing a big data set of 911 calls made on Blue Hill Ave. in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Their goal was to define metrics in the data to create a community index that residents can use to identify available resources in their area.
Sri Likhitha Anuganti, MS’25, data analytics engineering, was honored with a Service Leadership Award in 2025 for her student mentor roles and community outreach.
Throughout the semester, O’Brien arranged for Anuganti’s group to meet and collaborate with officials from the Dudley St. Neighborhood Initiative in Roxbury and other residents. Each time they spoke with community members, they updated their project based on the feedback the residents provided.
Anuganti says that collaborating directly with local residents changed the way she saw data. “For me, it was just data, just numbers,” says Anuganti, “but for the locals, it’s their life. We need insight from the community on how to create a product that would benefit them in real-time. I’m more cautious of how I treat data now.”
Entrepreneurial experience at Finder @ Social
Her new approach to data and customer feedback helped propel the usability of the entrepreneurial project that she is a part of called Finder @ Social—a social networking platform, founded in 2019, for students, faculty, and alumni to safely connect and interact online. Anuganti was inspired by the goal to create a positive change in society. The safety feature they promote is their verification process that a user has a direct connection to the university platform they would like to join.
Anuganti and the Finder @ Social team presented their platform to IDEA, a Northeastern student-led venture accelerator.
As the CFO, Anuganti is responsible for financial management. Her other role is to analyze user data. She wanted to know what real users thought of the product, so she reached out to customers for feedback. “It made me realize we need another driving factor for students to use the platform, other than connecting with faculty and alumni,” Anuganti says. The team developed a way to enhance student engagement by centralizing campus activities and providing additional features to foster community connections.
“I’m solving a problem for real human beings. It’s important to understand your audience, so you can create a product that is reliable and centered towards their needs. Your initial users are not only users, but co-creators,” says Anuganti.
Product data analyst co-op at Plymouth Rock Assurance
With all her work experiences in her home country, India, Anuganti was unaccustomed to Boston’s job market. Her co-op advisor, Linda Kent Davis, gave her insight into what to expect while working at a Boston based company. She also got help tailoring her resume and cover letters for each co-op application. Out of multiple co-op offerings, Anuganti accepted a position at Plymouth Rock Assurance as a product data analyst. Her role was to analyze auto insurance trends in Massachusetts to develop safer driving instructions backed by data-driven insight.
She realized her success during this co-op and in her future career relied on her ability to conceptualize and communicate data. “I need to summarize data in a way that every person can understand it. People interpret ideas and information differently here than in India. This challenge showed me the advantage of using data storytelling to effectively communicate. It’s a skill that I see myself applying everywhere.”
Career ambitions
Anuganti (center) celebrated her graduation from the data analytics engineering master’s program with the Finder @ Social team.
At Northeastern, Anuganti discovered two career paths that blend her passions. Whether she chooses to apply her data analytics skills at a nonprofit—where she can directly collaborate with the communities impacted by her work—or pursues the technical challenges of investment banking, data storytelling will remain a core practice. “Northeastern didn’t just give me opportunities,” Anuganti reflects, “it helped me discover interests and develop skills I didn’t know I needed.” Through her academic and professional journey at Northeastern, she’s built an early career that stands out to employers worldwide. She says, “Northeastern doesn’t just prepare students for a job—they open doors to global career possibilities.”