Emily-Tabea Johnson, a student at Columbus State University, recently completed a four-month internship at Fort Benning, where she contributed to data analysis projects that supported Army decision-making. Originally from Germany, Johnson moved to the United States in 2021 and enrolled at Columbus State University. She shifted her academic focus from art to the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies program, combining interests such as data science and global communication with a minor in data analytics.
“I’ve been able to pursue my interests and mash them together into one degree,” Johnson said about her studies. “I am passionate about leveraging data to solve complex problems, and I thrive on challenges and adapting to new situations—all of which I’ve seen the need for during my internships.”
Johnson’s coursework was complemented by several internships both on and off campus. With guidance from Dr. Kristin Seamon Lilly, associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, she secured an internship at Fort Benning. The university’s Center for Career Design assisted her with registering for academic credit.
During her internship, Johnson helped Army leaders by cleaning and organizing datasets and developing dashboards using Microsoft Excel and Power BI. One project focused on analyzing how enlisted soldiers progressed through training and assignments to identify potential bottlenecks.
“Interning has shown me what ‘real-world’ work problems look like. Understanding patterns and answering the ‘why’ can be the most exciting part of data analytics,” she said. “That made everything feel real and meaningful [during my internship]—like my work actually contributed to something bigger.”
She also attended high-level meetings with generals and senior leadership at Fort Benning, gaining insight into decision-making processes.
Col. Corey Woods, deputy chief of staff at the Maneuver Center of Excellence who oversees the internship program, praised Johnson’s contributions: “Emily brought a rare blend of curiosity, technical skill and maturity that immediately elevated the work of our team. She didn’t just build dashboards; she helped us see our data differently. Her ability to break down complex problems, ask sharp questions and turn raw information into clear, actionable insights made a genuine impact on how we support soldiers and leaders across the installation. Emily has a bright future ahead of her, and we were fortunate to have her on the team.”
Lt. Col. (ret.) Dan Evans, chief data and analytics officer at the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Johnson’s supervisor during her internship added: “This project provided an excellent opportunity to leverage a motivated two-person intern team, of which Emily was a key member, to tackle an analytical effort we had long identified but lacked the bandwidth to pursue… In an analytics environment, a fresh set of eyes can often surface insights or approaches that established teams may overlook, and Emily’s contributions exemplified the value of that outside perspective.”
Johnson noted that working in professional settings differed from classroom experiences: “The classroom can be very organized, and the problems and solutions clearly defined,” she said. “[During my internship], I was able to see my fellow team members and supervisors struggle with the same questions and problems I did. It was an eye-opener to realize you don’t always have the immediate answer, and that’s okay.”
She credited teamwork during her internship with helping develop collaboration skills: “Working in a team was its own adventure,” she said. “I learned how differently people collaborate, how to communicate clearly, and how to ask the right questions—both about my work and others’. It pushed me in good ways and helped me figure out how I like to work.”
Outside academics Johnson is active as an officer in Women in Tech student organization as well as serving as its representative within Student Government Association.
“It’s really helped me connect with others in the tech environment—classmates professors professionals in field,” she said regarding these co-curricular activities.“It’s also helped me with my public speaking skills collaborating with others.”
Her experience at Fort Benning expanded her understanding of military operations—a perspective she plans to use after graduation as she considers commissioning as an officer while continuing work in data analytics.
Columbus State University operates as part of Georgia’s public higher education system https://www.columbusstate.edu/ , offering undergraduate through doctoral programs across multiple campuses including facilities designed for advanced learning environments https://www.columbusstate.edu/. The university emphasizes servant leadership values https://www.columbusstate.edu/, supports regional development through community partnerships https://www.columbusstate.edu/, maintains accreditation for awarding degrees https://www.columbusstate.edu/,and aims for innovation alongside educational opportunities https://www.columbusstate.edu/.
