Celebrate National Intern Day with our 2023 SEP Internship Experience Wrap-up
July 27th, 2023 marks this year’s National Intern Day! Today, we want to recognize these 8 students who took part in SEP’s internship experience! In the last few months, the interns have had the opportunity to work on all different types of projects with real-world experience. Each day of the summer has been different, bringing its own unique set of challenges and opportunities.
Join us as we recount the highlights, the challenges, and the treasured memories that have shaped the internship experience for these students.
Embracing opportunities and shaping success: The SEP Internship Experience
As I’ve gone through this internship, I found myself constantly comparing it to the ones I’ve held in the past, and for the most part, I learned that in-person internships provide far more benefits both socially and educationally. Being able to talk to someone face-to-face provided abundant opportunities to ask questions and learn about subjects that others were passionate about. Even when the conversation would go on side tangents, I never felt that the things I was learning were useless or redundant. While my project focused on learning Node, AWS, etc., I also gained valuable insights into design patterns, cryptography, code durability, and the integration of business logic with software development. There’s so much more I could add about what I have learned this summer, but I’m sure that would take an entire blog post by itself.
My favorite part was the treatment I received from my team. They never looked down on me because I was an intern. Instead, every comment and suggestion I made was listened to and taken seriously; I didn’t feel like a ghost on the team.
My expectations for this internship were far exceeded. I’ve heard horror stories about internships and how bad they can be for some, but for SEP, this could not have been further from that reality. I’ve gotten to meet so many great people this summer and I’ve had loads of fun.
I want to give a big thanks to SEP for providing an internship that was second to none!
The biggest thing I learned this summer was the actual practice of writing software. School will generally prepare you with the basic ways to write code but developing on a team with 15+ people looks very different from doing projects by yourself. Implementing a solution is a much smaller portion of the actual work, compared to testing and ensuring that the solution to your story is satisfactory. Having to communicate with other members consistently to ensure that everything is being done correctly is a crucial part of development that I also learned.
My favorite part of coming back to SEP this summer was being in a SEP environment again. The atmosphere here is inviting and open to those who are curious. I never felt bad asking questions about topics I hadn’t fully grasped yet or were confused about. This enabled me to make the most of my internship. It was also nice to be able to do real work on a real project.
Where do I start? This summer has been a journey of learning and experiencing software engineering firsthand. I learned how to communicate well in a team-oriented environment and how to work together on completing tasks in a timely manner. I was also able to learn two different programming languages, as well as certain design patterns that are currently being used. Additionally, I gained a better understanding of how to write good code and document it, so those in the future are able to understand what was written and why it works. A large part of my learning process this summer, was figuring out how to adapt in different situations at certain times. Learning how to adapt to changes is very important in this field.
My favorite part was learning all the different areas of my current project and writing code. I am a vast learner, so I wanted to understand the whole project in all its scope. With the time I had and the ability to understand the different parts of the project, I can now work in different areas that will help my team progress the project to where it needs to be.
Feeling like I am part of a team made me feel very motivated to write good code for the project.
Another aspect of the summer that I enjoyed were the fun work events SEP puts on! The knowledge sharing events like Brown Bags are a great way to help us expand our knowledge on different topics. Most of all, I really like how much SEP cares for its employees!
This summer has been so amazing and educational for me. Seeing firsthand how modern software development takes place is so integral to understanding whether CS is for you. This summer has told me that it is genuinely something I love! With such a friendly work environment, I’ve been able to pick up new languages and frameworks so easily with constant support and help from my team. I’ve accomplished a lot this summer, but it hasn’t felt like work in my opinion. Learning how to communicate in a small group was also super helpful and something I definitely overlooked in this field.
My favorite part of this experience were the intern lunches. I’m glad I was able to meet the other interns and make so many meaningful connections at SEP!
I think the most important thing I learned this summer is what software engineering looks like in real life. While I have previously taken classes in software engineering, nothing really compares to the experience of working on a team with a client and making software to their expectations. Alongside that, I also got to work in an office for the first time and experience what it’s like to work on a team that is always available to brainstorm with, or to help work out tough problems.
After I had gotten settled into the team and worked on my own for some time, I got the opportunity to demo a feature that I worked on to the client! It was amazing to own that feature and get to present it to the client.
My second week at SEP, I participated in a discovery session with a client to brainstorm ways to incorporate AI into their upcoming product. I greatly enjoyed learning the client’s domain and evaluating ways to enhance their product with AI techniques.
I have also enjoyed getting to know my fellow SEPeers — both those on my project team and those on other projects. A group of SEP musicians meets regularly to have jam sessions after work, and we have a gig to play for other SEPeers to finish out the summer!
The spectrum of what I learned this summer is very wide, which I am grateful for. From learning how to hold effective meetings, to doing basic SEO optimization for old blog posts, working on documents and processes for SEP using a new-to-me document editor, and putting together and giving a lightning talk. Everything I learned while doing projects has helped me realize what I really like about business, and what I will try to prioritize in the three years I have left at Purdue.
I really enjoyed being integrated in SEP’s company culture. While it may seem like a cliché, it is truly an incredible environment to be a part of! SEPeers are supportive, encourage you to get out of your comfort zone, and really care about what they are working on. I especially loved the time spent with the BizOps team, which is composed of some really fun people who created a safe environment to learn in.
As the final chapter of my internship comes to a close, I am filled with so much gratitude for the BizOps team and SEP as a whole. This experience has been an unforgettable opportunity, that has consisted of developing new skills, lasting friendships, and a deeper understanding of myself and my passions. As I reflect on what I have learned, I can’t help but to point out what an exceptionally fun and supportive environment SEP has for its interns and employees.
During my time here, I had the opportunity to obtain valuable skills in HubSpot, WordPress, Coda, Excel, and Casted. What made this experience truly great was the environment SEP creates, where making mistakes was encouraged and supported by people who genuinely wanted to help me learn and grow. This safe space allowed me to explore and develop my abilities with confidence, making my journey all the more rewarding.
Being able to work in a place where everyone truly cares about your personal and professional growth was the key factor in my success this summer.
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An internship with SEP is a summer of working on real client and business projects alongside professional engineers, designers, and managers. You also get the opportunity to participate in professional development, community service activities, and even fun social events too.
Experience the freedom to dive right in and be supported by a mentor and project team.
