Career Services recently\u202fhosted an online\u202fpanel event \u2014 called \u201cReal Talk: Interns Share Wins, Lessons and Surprises\u201d \u2014 so current students could hear real stories and ask questions from peers who recently completed internships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gaining access, implementing feedback<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nPanelist Aditi Menon shared her experience working as a data science intern for Quadrant Technologies, an IT consulting firm in Redmond, Washington. A senior majoring in Mathematics,\u202fMenon also plans to double minor in Computer Science\u202f& Software Engineering\u202fand\u202fin\u202fData Science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Aditi-Menon-headshot-1024x1024.jpg\")
Aditi Menon (Mathematics, ’26). Image courtesy of the student.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nMenon interned with a team at the company developing an employee management portal. While her experience with programming languages and data visualization came in handy, she also gained new skills through her access to software and other resources she hadn\u2019t previously explored due to their cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomething that surprised me was how much you can learn on the job,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of my tasks was to build an AI chatbot for the portal, which was something I\u2019d never done before. With constant support from my mentors and supervisors, I was able to get regular feedback, implement that feedback and then in the span of two weeks build\u202fthe bot and work on integrating it into the overall portal.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most valuable lessons she learned, however,\u202fwasn\u2019t\u202fthe skills or knowledge she gained \u2014 it was a better sense\u202fof\u202fwhat jobs she didn\u2019t<\/em> want to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cI learned that project management was not for me and decided to pivot to looking\u202ffor non-management roles,\u201d Menon said. \u201cBut something I learned that I want<\/em> to keep pursuing is to work in tech just because of how much innovation I was able to see taking place on a day-to-day basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cMy internship also made me realize that the need for extracting insights from data extends beyond tech into multiple industries,\u201d she added, \u201cand made me explore industries I\u202fhadn\u2019t\u202fconsidered before.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After gaining some work experience, Menon now plans to pursue a master\u2019s in applied mathematics\u202fand go into optimization research. She wants\u202fsomeday to work as a data analyst or scientist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n“My internship also made me realize that the need for extracting insights from data extends beyond tech into multiple industries and made me explore industries I\u202fhadn\u2019t\u202fconsidered before.”<\/p>Aditi Menon, senior, Mathematics <\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\nScaling up, expanding insights<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor Maria Pledger, a senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, her recent\u202frole as a\u202fhuman resources intern at Amazon\u202fwas far from her first taste\u202fof\u202fexperiential learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Maria-Pledger-headshot-1024x1024.jpg\")
Maria Pledger (Business Administration, ’26). Image courtesy of the student.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat drew me to pursue an internship with Amazon was the opportunity to see how the human resources function operates within a large, global organization,\u201d she said. \u201cSince I already had HR experience at a mid-sized company, I was especially interested in understanding how those processes and responsibilities scale at both a national and international level.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After graduation, Pledger plans to pursue opportunities in human resources, events or marketing and communications. She\u2019s\u202falready gained experience in these areas through several roles \u2014\u202fincluding an HR internship at Saltchuk Marine Shared Services\u202fand her two current positions at UW Bothell\u202fas a communications specialist assistant for graduate\u202fprograms and as\u202fan\u202fevents\u202fand communications assistant\u202fin the\u202fDivision of Advancement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThrough these experiences, I\u2019ve discovered that I really enjoy developing internal employee programs that create a positive impact, as well as gathering and analyzing data to support initiatives that improve employee morale and the overall workplace experience,\u201d Pledger said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt this stage,\u202fI\u2019m\u202fstill deepening my understanding of the\u202fdifferent cultures that exist within organizations.\u202fI look forward to joining an organization where I can genuinely enjoy the work I do and contribute to a meaningful, positive impact for those around me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to understanding\u202fworkers\u2019\u202fneeds and how to support them, Pledger said she learned a lot from her time at Amazon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was tasked with acquiring employee perspectives and insights on their benefits and employee experiences at Amazon,\u201d she said. \u201cOver the span of a month, I was able to\u202facquire\u202fmore than 150 responses to a survey that I had created. I was\u202freally proud\u202fI was able to have so much of an impact during my time there and gain\u202fso much insight regarding employee experiences.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Connecting students to resources<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n足彩app哪个是正规的 internship panel is part of an ongoing event series\u00a0for students that highlights\u00a0the\u00a0real-world experiences peers\u00a0have had\u00a0and connects students to campus\u00a0related\u00a0resources.\u202fCareer Services offers several support avenues for students\u00a0interested in\u00a0internships,\u00a0including appointments to\u00a0explore current opportunities, review resumes, prepare for interviews and receive personalized coaching.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are a resource for UW Bothell students to tap into when they don\u2019t know where to start in their career readiness or exploration, don\u2019t know how to move forward in their career journeys, don\u2019t have everything mapped out, just need a check-in \u2014 and everything in between,\u201d said Gabby Ramon,\u202fassistant director of\u202fCareer\u202fServices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c足彩app哪个是正规的 Career Services office wants to meet with you early and often to support your success, not only in the workforce but in the confidence and ownership of your story.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Menon interned with a team at the company developing an employee management portal. While her experience with programming languages and data visualization came in handy, she also gained new skills through her access to software and other resources she hadn\u2019t previously explored due to their cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomething that surprised me was how much you can learn on the job,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of my tasks was to build an AI chatbot for the portal, which was something I\u2019d never done before. With constant support from my mentors and supervisors, I was able to get regular feedback, implement that feedback and then in the span of two weeks build\u202fthe bot and work on integrating it into the overall portal.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most valuable lessons she learned, however,\u202fwasn\u2019t\u202fthe skills or knowledge she gained \u2014 it was a better sense\u202fof\u202fwhat jobs she didn\u2019t<\/em> want to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI learned that project management was not for me and decided to pivot to looking\u202ffor non-management roles,\u201d Menon said. \u201cBut something I learned that I want<\/em> to keep pursuing is to work in tech just because of how much innovation I was able to see taking place on a day-to-day basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy internship also made me realize that the need for extracting insights from data extends beyond tech into multiple industries,\u201d she added, \u201cand made me explore industries I\u202fhadn\u2019t\u202fconsidered before.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n After gaining some work experience, Menon now plans to pursue a master\u2019s in applied mathematics\u202fand go into optimization research. She wants\u202fsomeday to work as a data analyst or scientist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “My internship also made me realize that the need for extracting insights from data extends beyond tech into multiple industries and made me explore industries I\u202fhadn\u2019t\u202fconsidered before.”<\/p>Aditi Menon, senior, Mathematics <\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n For Maria Pledger, a senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, her recent\u202frole as a\u202fhuman resources intern at Amazon\u202fwas far from her first taste\u202fof\u202fexperiential learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat drew me to pursue an internship with Amazon was the opportunity to see how the human resources function operates within a large, global organization,\u201d she said. \u201cSince I already had HR experience at a mid-sized company, I was especially interested in understanding how those processes and responsibilities scale at both a national and international level.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduation, Pledger plans to pursue opportunities in human resources, events or marketing and communications. She\u2019s\u202falready gained experience in these areas through several roles \u2014\u202fincluding an HR internship at Saltchuk Marine Shared Services\u202fand her two current positions at UW Bothell\u202fas a communications specialist assistant for graduate\u202fprograms and as\u202fan\u202fevents\u202fand communications assistant\u202fin the\u202fDivision of Advancement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough these experiences, I\u2019ve discovered that I really enjoy developing internal employee programs that create a positive impact, as well as gathering and analyzing data to support initiatives that improve employee morale and the overall workplace experience,\u201d Pledger said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt this stage,\u202fI\u2019m\u202fstill deepening my understanding of the\u202fdifferent cultures that exist within organizations.\u202fI look forward to joining an organization where I can genuinely enjoy the work I do and contribute to a meaningful, positive impact for those around me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to understanding\u202fworkers\u2019\u202fneeds and how to support them, Pledger said she learned a lot from her time at Amazon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was tasked with acquiring employee perspectives and insights on their benefits and employee experiences at Amazon,\u201d she said. \u201cOver the span of a month, I was able to\u202facquire\u202fmore than 150 responses to a survey that I had created. I was\u202freally proud\u202fI was able to have so much of an impact during my time there and gain\u202fso much insight regarding employee experiences.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n 足彩app哪个是正规的 internship panel is part of an ongoing event series\u00a0for students that highlights\u00a0the\u00a0real-world experiences peers\u00a0have had\u00a0and connects students to campus\u00a0related\u00a0resources.\u202fCareer Services offers several support avenues for students\u00a0interested in\u00a0internships,\u00a0including appointments to\u00a0explore current opportunities, review resumes, prepare for interviews and receive personalized coaching.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are a resource for UW Bothell students to tap into when they don\u2019t know where to start in their career readiness or exploration, don\u2019t know how to move forward in their career journeys, don\u2019t have everything mapped out, just need a check-in \u2014 and everything in between,\u201d said Gabby Ramon,\u202fassistant director of\u202fCareer\u202fServices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c足彩app哪个是正规的 Career Services office wants to meet with you early and often to support your success, not only in the workforce but in the confidence and ownership of your story.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nScaling up, expanding insights<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Connecting students to resources<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n