Student Spotlight
Paulina Betancourt
Risk Analyst Intern, USAA
Senior Paulina Betancourt joined USAA’s bank risk testing team this summer, applying the
data analytics skills she developed at UT San Antonio to risk management and compliance projects. She also got a glimpse of USAA’s mission firsthand when she was given the opportunity to attend an Air Force graduation at Lackland Air Force Base.
“It was a great reminder of who our members are and our reason behind the work we do at USAA,” she said.
In the office, she learned how asking questions and collaborate with her team helped her see the bigger picture. “Doing this gave me a better understanding of the business processes and how my role fit within my team,” she explained.
The experience ended with a full-time job offer to return to USAA in January 2026 post-graduation in December 2025.
La Mia Pruit
Actuarial Analyst Intern, USAA
During her internship at USAA, Senior La Mia Pruitt, a statistics and data science student, built a SQL dashboard to analyze accident severity across multiple indicators, building her confidence in listing SQL as a professional skill. She also learned how data looks different in practice than in the classroom.
“The experience gave me new insight into how analytics teams function in a business setting, where the problems are open-ended, and data isn’t neatly packaged,” she explained.
USAA also encouraged interns to network with leaders, which taught Pruitt the importance of building professional connections. Returning to Alvarez this semester, she’s eager to apply these lessons to advanced class projects and even pursue independent research with the aim of publishing.
