People / Students / Class of 2027
Reeja Accamma Kurian graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2025. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she built a strong technical foundation through coursework and personal projects in programming languages such as Python, SQL, Java, Cypher, Kotlin, C++, C, JavaScript, HTML, and Haskell, as well as a variety of software development tools, frameworks, and technologies. One of her most notable projects involved developing an artificial intelligence application with autonomous game-playing agents using classical search and machine learning techniques, strengthening her understanding of artificial intelligence, algorithm design, and intelligent decision-making systems. Beyond the classroom, Reeja served as an Orientation Leader and as a Learning Assistant for a National Science Foundation-funded research program examining how one-on-one student engagement influences academic success. This experience inspired her passion for research and mentorship. Committed to building community, Reeja founded the University of Wisconsin–Parkside chapter of Girls Who Code, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology, and served as its inaugural President. In recognition of her academic achievement and leadership, she was nominated for and inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Reeja joined AbbVie, one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies, through AbbVie's Information Research Academic Partnership (IRAP) student co-op program. She began her co-op as a Power BI Developer/Data Analyst before advancing to a Data Scientist role while continuing to support analytics initiatives. Her work has included developing full-stack Python automation tools for data validation and transformation that significantly reduced manual effort while improving data quality, designing and deploying Power BI dashboards, Power Apps solutions, and Power Automate workflows, and conducting ETL processes and data modeling to transform complex datasets into actionable insights. Working alongside experienced professionals and mentors at AbbVie, she gained valuable industry experience in enterprise software development, data analysis, and technologies including Python, SQL, Microsoft Power Platform, Oracle, GitHub, Jira, and ETL processes. Beyond her technical contributions, she also supported her team through outreach and engagement initiatives, reflecting her collaborative approach and commitment to organizational success. These experiences reinforced her passion for applying data science to solve meaningful real-world challenges. In recognition of her internship journey at AbbVie, she was selected to represent the University of Wisconsin–Parkside at the Milwaukee Area College Internship Consortium (MACIC), where she presented her internship experience and professional growth.
Outside of academics and industry, Reeja is passionate about serving her community and continuously growing as a person. She served as Treasurer of Chicago Christian Fellowship, an organization dedicated to fostering community and fellowship among youth, and has also served as a Youth Coordinator, Sunday School teacher, and Community Outreach Coordinator at her church. She believes that listening to diverse perspectives is one of the most valuable ways to learn and grow. In her free time, she enjoys continually exploring new skills and writing poetry. Reeja is excited to join Northwestern University's Master of Science in Machine Learning and Data Science program because of its interdisciplinary, industry-focused approach that integrates machine learning, artificial intelligence, data engineering, and business analytics. She looks forward to contributing to a collaborative learning community while learning from distinguished faculty and talented peers. Following graduation, she aspires to build a career focused on developing innovative machine learning and data science solutions while working at the intersection of technical and business teams.
