A Week in the Life: BSDS Student, Madeleine Cummings

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Madeleine Cummings, B.S. in Data Science Student and Ambassador 

Expected Graduation Year: 2027

Hometown: Madison, CT

When Madeleine Cummings first arrived at the University of Virginia (UVA), she wasn't sure exactly what path she would take. After exploring a variety of subjects during her first year, she found herself drawn to data science — a field that combined her love of mathematical logic, technology, and creative problem solving. Today, as a member of the B.S. in Data Science (BSDS) Class of 2027, Madeleine is thriving, balancing a full academic schedule, hands-on projects, leadership in organizations like UVA’s first data science/tech fraternity, and a life full of service, adventure, and personal passions.

As she takes you through her week, you’ll see how data science at UVA isn’t just about learning theory — it’s about applying it in real-world projects, collaborating with peers, and preparing to make a tangible impact. From tackling machine learning algorithms in class, to volunteering at local schools and animal shelters, to working on national data competitions in her spare time, Madeleine’s experience highlights how data science can be a vibrant, multidisciplinary journey — both inside and outside the classroom.

If you're looking for a program that blends cutting-edge skills with creativity, community, and practice, read Madeleine’s story below for a glimpse into what’s possible at the UVA School of Data Science.

Weekly Academic Schedule 

Monday

Starting out the week, I am lucky to have a fairly light class load with a long break in between, allowing me to use Monday to get prepared for the week. I have my first class on Main Grounds at 10 a.m., with my second class at 3:30 p.m. at the School of Data Science. As I have such a long break I try to take advantage of the time and spend the first few hours after class in the library, before grabbing lunch then doing something productive to start my week off right like going to the grocery store. My 3:30 p.m. class is Design 1: Communicating With Data, which I love starting my week with, as it is a great way to combine artistic creativity with data science.

Tuesday 

This is my busiest day, although I always try to balance it out to make it less stressful! To start off the day we have two data science classes back to back at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. The first class is Analytics I: Machine Learning I followed by Mathematics for Data Science. I’ve really enjoyed having these classes back to back - not only is it better for my schedule, but they are very different despite both being more technical classes. 

In Analytics I, we are learning about how to build different kinds of models (currently we are learning decision trees), while Math for Data Science is more about learning the math-based theory behind the algorithms and concepts we are using. 

After morning classes, I have about an hour-and-a-half break before my 2 p.m. class on Main Grounds, so I take that time to run home, grab a quick lunch, and chat with some of my roommates! After class finishes around 3:15 p.m., I generally try to go for a walk, do some more work, or take a nap (depending on how late I stayed up doing work the night before). Then at 7 p.m. I have chapter for Kappa Theta Pi, UVA’s first professional data science fraternity. Then finally whenever that ends I head over to Bachelor night at one of my friend’s houses.

Wednesday

Today follows a similar schedule to Monday. As it is a lighter day class wise, I try to use it as a catch up day so my Thursday, Friday and Saturday are a bit less busy.

Generally after classes on Monday–Wednesday, I try to keep 6-9 p.m. free from schoolwork and use that time to cook, catch up on shows, go on a walk or hang out with friends. Then, as I am very much a night owl, I spend the rest of the night doing work.

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Thursday 

I have the same classes as Tuesday, but I have a bit more free time and a lighter workload. So after classes, I’ll try to do a couple hours of work before heading over to House Dinner at my Sorority. After dinner, I try to finish everything else I have to do for the day before doing something fun with my friends.

Friday

My favorite day of the week! I don’t actually have class until 3 p.m. so I love using that time to grab breakfast or lunch with a friend (my go to is Bodo's), go for a walk, finish up school work, and do any other administrative tasks I have left. Since most of my work for the week is normally done by then, I love to use that time to prepare for my study abroad (I am going to London this summer and Copenhagen this fall), so you will often find me booking a flight or filling out forms on Fridays. 

At 3 p.m. I have my Lab section for Math for Data Science, where we are able to put the theory we are learning to practice. It is generally more coding based, and meant to show us how the concepts we are learning are actually applied in the field. After my Lab, I head over to the local elementary school where I volunteer on a weekly basis for their after school program. Then after that, I spend the rest of the day/night hanging out with friends and going on random side quests.

Weekend 

During my weekends, I try to avoid doing work on Saturdays (when possible) then I almost always spend all of Sunday doing work with friends at the School of Data Science with the exception of having a couple of club/organization meetings during the day. Some of my favorite study spots in the building are the study rooms on the 3rd floor overlooking the pond, and the Wellness Room where I love to take a break from studying by doing a puzzle with my friends.

Ensuring that there is a hands-on real world component to the content we are learning is a core value of all of our Data Science classes, after all the “+1” in our 4+1 model is practice. I have found this makes the concepts a lot more digestible, and helps us prepare for the real world by letting us go through the trials and tribulations of trying it ourselves while still having the support of our peers and professors if we ever get stuck. 

Collaboration and practice are key components in all of our classes. Because of this, all of our Data Science classes this semester are project based, with many of them being group projects, meaning that during the week I almost always end up back in the Data Science School either studying with other people in the Cohort, or working on a group project!

Recreation and Extracurriculars

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During the school year, I am a part of a couple different clubs which fill up a lot of my time. I’m a part of Rotaract which has lots of great service projects to get involved in, I volunteer through Madison House, I’m a part of the sorority Sigma Kappa, the Women's Leadership Development Program, Data Science and Analytics Club which has a bunch of cool and helpful data science related events, and Kappa Theta Pi UVA’s first and only data science/technology-based professional fraternity which has helped me bond with many of my peers in the cohort as well as develop useful professional and data science skills.

One of my favorite things to do in my free time is volunteer! I do weekly volunteering at the local elementary school through Madison House on Fridays. Through Roteract, I get involved in lots of events like coat drives, Imagination Library Events, and more, but my favorite events to do are ones that involve helping out at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA (CASPCA). For Sigma Kappa’s philanthropy, I volunteer at Martha Jefferson house (the local assisted living facility), and help with events that aim to raise money for Alzheimer's research. One of my favorite things to do with friends on a free afternoon is ”Fido Field Trips“ through the CASPCA where we take a dog out of the shelter for the day.

Personal Time and Hobbies

I absolutely love spending time outside when the weather is nice out. Whenever I have some free time, I love to get outside and enjoy a few of my favorite activities: playing pickleball, taking walks to the Downtown Mall or North Grounds, and having picnics on the Lawn.

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As well, I love to bake or cook! Almost every day of the week you can find me in the kitchen experimenting with a new dinner recipe I found on TikTok, or baking a sweet treat one of my roommates requested. I find it is a great way to unwind at the end of the day while also being something that is great for my health!

A huge part of the BSDS program is working on projects - so during my free time, I work with some of my friends in the major on a project of our own through Kaggle’s WIDS Datathon competition. We’re creating a model that will try to use data about people's brain functions to predict someone’s gender and whether or not they have ADHD. Identifying ADHD early and designing therapies targeting specific brain mechanisms in a personalized way can greatly improve the mental health of affected individuals. So the competition is trying to show how we can create models to help get people the diagnosis they need.