UConn Student Wins Insurance Competition Working Solo

When Uday Pandey looked up from his computer screen, he was shocked to see it was 5 a.m. The UConn graduate student had been so absorbed in his predictive modeling project that he'd forgotten to sleep entirely.

That accidental all-nighter paid off big time. Pandey just won the 2025 Travelers University Modeling Competition, competing solo against approximately 50 teams of up to four students each.

The challenge was no walk in the park. Students had two weeks to build models that could identify subrogation opportunities in auto insurance claims using massive datasets including accident locations, driver ages, and vehicle weights. They had to explain their methods, identify important variables, and suggest what additional information would help.

Most competitors worked in teams, but Pandey couldn't form a larger group and decided to go it alone. "It was fun to do everything from scratch," he said.

He refined his model 27 times, focusing on a key lesson from his Business Analytics and Project Management classes: look for hidden patterns in data. The persistence came naturally to someone who had already built an impressive resume with internships at Amazon, Ferrero, and Whirlpool across three continents.

Jennifer Eigo, academic director of Pandey's program, wasn't surprised by his success. "Uday is a hard worker, very enthusiastic and is always excited to build on what he is learning in the classroom," she said.

Why This Inspires

Pandey's story shows what happens when passion meets preparation. He came to UConn thinking he wanted product development but discovered his true calling in data science through hands-on competition. His willingness to compete solo when he couldn't form a team demonstrates the kind of self-reliance that turns students into professionals.

The win is already opening doors. Travelers has invited him to job shadow, present his findings to leadership, and network with corporate data scientists this spring.

For Pandey, who experienced snow for the first time during winter break, his American graduate school journey keeps delivering unexpected gifts. His advice to fellow students? "Enter these types of competitions and demonstrate the knowledge you've learned in class."

Sometimes the best results come when you're so engaged in your work that you forget to watch the clock.