What was something unique about one of your summer internships?
I interned in San Antonio with USAA. It was an amazing experience working as a Java developer on a team with students from across the country. A lot of them hadn’t been in business situations in which they had to lead a meeting or write a technical document. Because I had communication and soft skills here at Purdue Polytechnic, I was placed in a leadership position, leading meetings with upper-level management and creating documentation to submit. It’s why I got a job offer to come back. They saw that the Polytechnic makes well-rounded students.
What would be one piece of advice for prospective students or new Purdue students?
Focus on the little things freshman and sophomore years. At the time you may not see how it fits into the bigger picture. You can memorize things for tests without fully understanding them. Now that I’m in my senior capstone classes, it’s so cool — I see how all these things I’ve been learning along the way fit together for my capstone. Outside of class, cherish every moment and every experience. If it’s outside of your comfort zone, go for it. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be graduating early or having the career I have.
