What Happens in Vegas, Started at Stevens

Careers & Student Outcomes

What Happens in Vegas, Started at Stevens

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Customer service and big data are not usually synonymous, but Preety Vandana is changing the way hospitality giant Wynn Resorts provides visitors with a personal touch.

A 2020 graduate of the Stevens financial engineering master's program, Preety uses her machine learning expertise to impact how the Wynn marketing department communicates and customizes its visitor experience at its properties in Las Vegas and Boston.

"My education in data science and analytics equipped me with the skills to predict market performance, assess hedging strategies and manage risk," she explained. "At Wynn, my role is multifaceted because I also have a strong background in coding and software development. This combination of skills has proven invaluable to the marketing team. They are able to leverage my expertise in predictive analytics to develop advanced software solutions. It's an incredibly dynamic and rewarding field to work in. My contributions directly impact customer­ facing applications, which demands a high level of precision and a thorough validation of outputs. Additionally, I collaborate on various marketing strategies that drive significant revenue for the company."

Preety has been actively upskilling herself in cutting-edge Al technologies, particularly focusing on Large Language Models (LLMs). She has successfully implemented text analytics solutions using LLMs, which provide deep insights into customer preference, sentiments and behaviors. By leveraging these models, she has been able to extract intelligence from customer feedback and social media posts.

"These insights are instrumental in enhancing customer experiences through personalized interactions and targeted strategies," she explained. "With the expansive capabilities of LLMs, including sentiment analysis, trend detection and predictive modeling, there are endless applications that can drive innovation and value across various domains."

The journey to her current role with Wynn's resorts and gaming properties required more than luck. After earning her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya in her native India, Preety moved to Hoboken in 2019. She completed her financial engineering degree at Stevens in the spring of 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Her persistence resulted in a contract position as a data scientist at Chubb, an insurance industry leader. Four months later, she parlayed that experience into a contract position at another insurance company, QBE. She then moved over to Capgemini, an informational technology services and consulting company, where her first client was Wynn.

"I discovered my passion for coding and programming early on, which ultimately paved the way for securing my full-time position with Capgemini," she reflected. "While I initially focused on honing my skills in core data engineering, I later transitioned into a comprehensive role as a software engineer, where I now specialize in developing robust applications for both front-end and back­ end systems."

The confidence and leadership she cultivated through her education, particularly as President of the Stevens Society of Financial Engineers, combined with her impactful professional experiences, have inspired her to embark on developing an innovative idea of her own. This initiative reflects her ability to merge strategic vision with execution, and it promises to bring transformative value. The results of her groundbreaking work are expected to be unveiled in the coming months.

Preety traces her entrepreneurial spirit to her days at Stevens and the support she received from colleagues and faculty.

"During my time as a research assistant, I had the opportunity to interact with undergraduate students who were actively pursuing side projects and entrepreneurial ventures," she shared. "It was through these interactions that the foundation of my entrepreneurial mindset was established. The exposure to advanced technologies, the innovative projects we undertook and the personal growth fostered during my academic journey continue to influence and resonate with me to this day."

Even four years after graduation, her connection to Stevens remains strong. While not working on Wall Street at Morgan Stanley, her goal when she started her financial engineering education, the school has been a resource for her new aspirations.

"Professor (Emmanuel) Hatzakis is a friend and guide to this day," she said. "I can talk to him about anything inside or outside the industry, business or even collaborate on a project. Support from Stevens continually flows to me, and it is not just about education but every sphere. I recently attended an event, mentioned my startup, and immediately, someone introduced me to a few people who could help. The Stevens experience has integrated into my professional and non-professional life."

Preety Vandana remains active with Stevens' DeBaun Performing Arts Center.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Preety enjoys engaging in creative and community-driven activities. She occasionally participates in productions at the DeBaun Performing Arts Center, showcasing her passion for the arts. Additionally, she runs an Instagram-based book club called @bodhiandbanter, which is built on the core values of wit, wisdom and community and fosters meaningful discussions and connections among like-minded readers. Driven by her commitment to giving back to the community and inspiring others through her journey, Preety is also active on LinkedIn, where she is always open to networking and collaborating,

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