A Stroll Down Memory Lane

What Made My First Year in Veeva’s Engineering Development Program (EDP) Special

By: Sui Feng, Associate Software Engineer

Hello! My name is Sui Feng — I graduated from the University of California, Irvine, and joined Veeva’s Engineering Development Program as an Associate Software Engineer in February 2019. When I’m not busy creating an interface for clinical trial scientists to enter and review clinical data, I try to spend my time bonding with other Veevans.

Here are a few vignettes from my first year in Generation Veeva:

Tea? Want to go for tea?

It’s amazing how one simple drink started so many long-lasting friendships. I recall meeting Hilmi when he proposed we grab tea at Veeva HQ’s micro kitchen. Sipping my beverage, I came to know my teammates Durward and Bex better. I grew close with their friend group and we began to consistently sit together for lunch. Ever since that day, we’ve had a tradition of getting tea in the mornings, and we try our best to invite newcomers to join our daily routine.

Lance’s culinary class

One of my favorite events at the company I previously interned for was a cooking class where we made tacos from scratch. I was really happy to see that Veeva hosts a similar program every two weeks at the HQ cafeteria. It’s a good opportunity to socialize with other Veevans and members of the culinary staff while learning some cooking skills. Over multiple sessions, we’ve made several things from apple tarts and cheesecakes to pickled vegetables and soft pretzels.

Veeva’s foosball culture

Foosball in the game room is more than just a hobby. For some people, it’s a religion worshipped every day at noon or after work. I recall first seeing Kirill play — he totally destroyed any attempt or hope I had to win against him. Right after each serve, the ball would fly toward the metallic backplate of my goal. After a few months of practicing, I finally felt capable of tackling the house tournament for new hires and even redefining the game with 4-on-4 foosball to accommodate the growing interest in the “sport.”

Hike Club, Run Club, and Veeva Soccer

One memory that stands out to me is the time that Dallas and Natalie invited me to participate in a hike at the Pleasanton Preserve Trail with the HQ Hike Club, an internal organization that hosts diverse hikes during lunchtime and after work. Similarly, Run Club, another internal group, encouraged me to move and stay active. It helped me realize that I could run longer distances than I had previously thought, ultimately culminating in my participation in the 2019 Berkeley 10K race. My time on the Veeva Soccer team has also been especially memorable, as it has encouraged me to pick up a new sport. I’m glad to say that Veeva’s plethora of sporting teams has given me the opportunity to meet and connect with people from other departments whom I normally wouldn’t interact with.

I don’t want to sound cheesy, but what made my first-year experience so memorable was the people I met through Generation Veeva. I look forward to a time post-COVID-19 when I can meet up again with these amazing people.