Name: Fatima Irfan
Class Year: 2024
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Internship Organization: Microsoft & Cyborg Mobile
Job Title: New Tech Intern
Location: Remote
What鈥檚 happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
I worked in a team of five to go through a product life cycle and launch that product. We started off by identifying a problem statement with a specific target audience and target problem. Our case was about what 鈥 skills underprivileged young adults need to become more financially stable.鈥
We ideated and went over several possible solutions before arriving to our final solution which was a mentorship and skill learning platform that caters to the need of our target audience. We conducted user interviews, wrote an engineering spec, prototyped, and took usability testing interviews before implementing our final web app. We had weekly meetings with our coaches who would give us feedback on our progress and guide us in our process. We used React and Java Script to deploy the front end of the website which is what I spent my time doing. I used functional react components to deploy the front end of the website. We finally concluded our internship by giving a presentation to our Microsoft and Cyborg Mobile crew.
Why did you apply for this internship?
I wanted to gain a much deeper understanding of how I could apply what I learnt in school to the real world to solve problems. I wanted an experience that was different from school and would give me exposure to the industry that I wish to work in after school. I am really interested in the software engineering field and this internship promised an entry level software engineering experience combined with product management. I was also looking to meet new people, build more connections, and engage in meaningful discussions.
Was there anything special about how you found this internship?
My computer science professor sent this internship on our mailing list in my first year. I read the name Microsoft and decided not to apply because I assumed I would not be selected for such a competitive program with such a low acceptance rate. In my sophomore year, this internship was sent to the mailing list once again and this time I decided to apply without much hope. To this day I am still surprised and grateful that I got selected. The lesson I learnt? Always give it a go. You are so much more than what you estimate yourself to be.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of the internship was meeting such a diverse and unique cohort of people. I especially enjoyed connecting with industry professionals and learning from their experience. I started to question and think more with the passage of this internship. Another amazing thing was that Microsoft sent us food vouchers along with swag each week. I got a lot of small keepsakes that I will keep with me.
Visit the Summer Internship Stories page to read more about student internship experiences.