Data Analytics & Development

Luca Williams

Born in HangZhou China and adopted by a family located near the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, I’ve always had a passion for truth, a curiosity to seek out reality, and a desire to disseminate wisdom.

Between 2021 and 2023, I attended Excel College — a bachelor’s program that offered me a life-changing, holistic education. Having challenged my mind, body, and soul, and having prepared me for a vocation of data analytics and data management, I’ve begun the process of living a “well examined life” by way of seeking the good, the true, and the beautiful in all scenarios, interactions and people. I’ve become proficient in the application of tools to enable my curiosity and I hope to continue to solve problems and bring awareness in a way that causes the world, the people around me, and my community to flourish.

The following pages document my experiences and achievements.

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EDUCATION

Excel College, Black Mountain, NC

BA in Religious Studies, Integrated Economy, & Critical Thinking

Emphasis: Data Analytics & Development

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WORK EXPERIENCE & APPRENTICESHIPS

DATA ANALYTICS FIELD INTERN — Sunbelt Rentals: January 2023 - May 2024

Manipulate & mine data for insights in SQL and PowerBI. Understand data, resolve discrepancies, and communicate concepts. Prepare and present data supporting a business strategy or insight in a professional setting.
Implement analytics tagging, debugging tagging, and create and present digital analytics reports with various widely-used industry tools. Theorize, implement, and analyze A/B tests. Demonstrate understanding of various tracking and attribution methodologies. Demonstrate knowledge of conversion rate optimization methods and tools.
Implement digital marketing tags for campaigns of various widely used marketing tools, access & understand the data, analyze the financial investment and recommend a course of strategy.

FULL STACK WEB DEVELOPER FELLOW — Ask Class: May 2022 - August 2023

Spearhead implementation of a framework conversion from RubyOnRails to SvelteKit with a team of interns.
Author multiple blogs and facilitate content editing of interns blogs.
Consultation on technological frameworks and advise on educational facilitation.

FULL STACK WEB DEVELOPER INTERN — Keystrokes inc.: February 2022 - May 2022

Implement MERN stack technologies on multiple projects.
Implement C#, SQL, MERN stack to create a cohesive and smooth flow of data.
Optimize SEO performance metrics.

MERN STACK STUDENT — Global U: August 2020 - May 2021

Proficient in MERN stack web development
Create projects utilizing the full technology stack
Teach & assist fellow students in learning & implementing online resources to produce optimization of web applications

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CERTIFICATIONS

ADVANCED GOOGLE ANALYTICS COURSE CERTIFICATION

Learn advanced Google Analytics features including data collection, processing and configuration, and more complex analysis and marketing tools.

CONTENTSQUARE COURSE CERTIFICATION

Learn how to utilize the analytic tools of content square to measure front end marketing metrics

GETTING STARTED WITH GOOGLE ANALYTICS 360 COURSE COMPLETION

Learn powerful Google Analytics 360 features that are not available in the standard product, and gain insight into how you can benefit from integrations with BigQuery, Google Marketing Platform products, and Google Ad Manager.

BEGINNING GOOGLE ANALYTICS COURSE CERTIFICATION

Learn the basic features of Google Analytics including how to create an account, implement tracking code, analyze basic reports, and set up goals and campaign tracking.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS POWER USER COURSE CERTIFICATION

After you're familiar with the range of features Analytics offers, learn and practice actionable analyses to track business performance and identify areas for business improvement.

INTRODUCTION TO DATA STUDIO COURSE CERTIFICATION

Introduction to Data Studio helps you learn and practice beginner steps in connecting your data and building Data Studio reports.

PL-300: MICROSOFT POWER BI DATA ANALYST/ DA-100 CERTIFICATION

Demonstrate proficiency importing data and visualizing and presenting that data.

GOOGLE TAG MANAGER FUNDAMENTALS COURSE CERTIFICATION

Discover how Google Tag Manager can simplify the tag implementation and management process for marketers, analysts, and developers.

GLOBAL U MERN STACK COURSE CERTIFICATION

Create multiple webapps utilizing full stack technology including but not limited to: MongoDB, Express API, React, and Node.js

LEARN SQL COURSE

Demonstrate proficiency in the building blocks of SQL requests and understand the history and tools.

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INDEPENDENT STUDIES

CODECADEMY & MISCELLANEOUS DEVELOPER COURSES — May 2021 - June 2023

Throughout my time at Excel I have been teaching myself different aspects of coding by learning from tutorials. I continued to hone my skills in web development, data analytics, and problem solving while keeping up-to-date on all the latest changes and trends in technology. As a trend would change I would research resources to understand the changes while also integrating aspects of the new technology into my current projects.

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Excel College

Bachelor Degree in Religious Studies, Integrated Economy, and Critical Thinking

— Description of Excel College’s Degree Program —

By Economy (not Economics), we’re using one of the oldest and original meanings of the term derived from the Greek term oikonomia: stewardship, management of household affairs. Specifically, we are drawing from the theological concept of stewardship, leading to what the Greeks referred to as the Good Life — a virtuous life that fulfills our divinely created human nature. Using this definition of economy, our Bachelor degree has opened a pathway for students to integrate their faith into a customized emphasis.

Not confined to the classroom alone, our students are challenged and encouraged in 5 holistic pursuits (intellectual, spiritual, missional, practical, and professional) to become men and women who excel everywhere — in the classroom, home, church, work, community, and in their lives individually.

During the Practicum phase of Excel College, students continue to develop holistically, while concentrating on an emphasis that interests them personally. With the support and accountability of mentors and coaches, students design a customized learning experience that develops not only one-dimensional skills and experience according to set and relevant outcomes, but virtuous habits that lead them to become honest workers, family members, and citizens. In our model, we let the experts train our students on a basic skills level, while we equip them for a life of holistic flourishing.

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Global U Program Participant

Between the years of 2020 and 2021 I was enrolled in Global University, an overseas coding and entrepreneurial education program. It was a program that was a missional and practical focus. The program was co-founded by World Race alumni, Joshua Owens, and Alaina Owens. The staff was comprised of Andrew Haak, Hailey Hite, Alina Kay, and Mary Korch. Each of the staff members had a focus and a class that they were responsible for. Hailey and Alaina were in charge of physical activity and life coaching. Andrew was responsible for spiritual development. Alina was responsible for logistics and professional development. Joshua was responsible for coding. Mary was responsible for marketing and leadership training.

The purpose of the program was to develop a person who was capable of stewarding and guiding the world with their ingenuity. The method of this was to create a “sandbox” environment in which we were actively encouraged to try and fail continuously. The medium of this sandbox was in the creation of a startup. The tools were different classes focused on coding, biblical studies, physical health, leadership, marketing, and business strategy.

The greatest challenge of the program can best be described as “learning how to die to myself”. This comes from the biblical reference to “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”(Mark 8:35). One of the lessons I didn’t even realize I was learning was how to receive feedback, and not only hear the words but to listen and understand the cause of the feedback.

Many of the lessons that were planted in that season did not sprout until long after the last day of my class’s year. I learned how to steward my mind and body. I learned how to bow to authority without becoming compliant to challenges.

The seeds that were planted at GU have grown into the habits that I carry now. I go to the gym at 5 am every morning. I make food every morning. I intentionally connect with people I care about. I pursue opportunities and people.

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Sunbelt Rentals Field Intern

In January of 2023, I began my process of being a field intern for Sunbelt Rentals. Currently I am working within the eCommerce department as a data analyst. Throughout my time as an intern I have had the privilege of working with Neil Moree and Michael Plant. The purpose of this branch of Sunbelt is to deliver data and delineate the methodology to our peers and those in Sunbelt’s leadership.

During my time here I have been a direct intern under Michael Plant. The wish for this partnership was that I will eventually take over many of Michael’s responsibilities. With that endeavor in mind, many of the subjects of learning for me have primarily been in the maintenance and optimization of data tracking.

The role can be split into two primary components: documentation and task management/production.

The documentation portion is primarily surrounding the capacity to identify structures in the website. The challenge in this field is not how to read what we have, rather it is the prediction of what we are lacking. The task management and production is considerably less cerebral. Documentation is meant to show us what we are missing and the tasks are concerned more with communicating what we are missing and why it is important. It is of the uppermost importance that I utilize all of the interpersonal skills that I have learned throughout my time with GU and Excel.

The greatest challenge thus far has been having to be both teacher and student. My previous experience with GU, FRC, and my general pursuit of knowledge is a double edged sword. On one hand, it allows me to keep up with all of the jargon and technicality of the role. On the other hand, it makes it difficult to ask questions and also to know when my knowledge ends and the learning must begin. It is ironic that learning more led to me being resistant to the title of student.

The process of overcoming these challenges required a humility that I could only develop at the end of my knowledge. It required so many shifts in my own personal philosophy and theology as well as a reinforcement of my discipline.

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