Some of the biggest concerns I faced before entering my internship were fears of experiencing imposter syndrome and isolation. I was incredibly relieved to find that I was not alone in my internship, but rather I was 1 of 20 new interns who were joining Arcurve Academy at the start of May. Within the first couple of days, most of my fears had subsided as I got to learn more about the company and meet many of the wonderful employees. There were various ways I believe that Arcurve had taken the extra effort to ensure I had the best internship experience. Here are some that come to mind:
1. Mentor Buddy
At the start of the internship, each intern was paired with a Mentor Buddy – a full-time employee that was happy to share their experience and provide support. Through this experience, I met Dana Danaila, a business analyst for Arcurve. I look forward to our weekly meetings where we both can share our life and work experiences - overall, a fun time just chatting away! I appreciate being able to ask her for advice, learn from her experiences, and share some of my experiences as well.
2. Social Events & Activities
The Fun Team hosted some very engaging games that kept us all lively and on our toes. I was very impressed by their ability to host hybrid games to allow those working remotely to play and enjoy all the fun! One activity I didn’t think I would experience was playing softball, but I surprisingly had the opportunity to play my first ever softball game by participating in Arcurve’s Softball Team! In addition to being an overall fun sport, the softball team fostered a strong sense of community and connections between those who participated. I got to meet new people and also learn a new sport. I’m very grateful for everyone's support and how quick they all were to lend a hand to help or give advice.
3. Community Social Responsibility (CSR) Project.
In addition to a variety of social bonding outlets, the interns were split into groups of 4 to 6 people for the Community Social Responsibility (CSR) project. Each group was given the task to design, develop and deliver on an initiative to give back to the community. Together our group, Let’s Par-Tee, went through many iterations of brainstorming and designing before we decided to move forward with the concept that we felt would deliver on the most advocacy for our chosen charity, EducationMatters and have the best return on investment. After juggling the possibilities of various products and events, we decided to move forward with a mini golf event targeting adults and families. The project was an excellent opportunity for us to take ownership of a project and deliver it from development to execution. We worked together, not only with our teams, but along with the 2 other CSR groups to support each other in sales, marketing, and morale. Through our successes and struggles, I found that the project allowed us to develop stronger connections, build up our professional confidence, and give back to the local community.
4. Internship Roundtables
Each Thursday, all the interns gathered in a video call to share their weekly experiences and provide updates on our project. These sessions were a time for us to share topics such as how we were feeling, what we hoped to achieve in the next week, something new we learned, and updates on certifications/projects. Nearing the end of the summer, interns had the opportunity to present a retrospective review of their project(s), how they contributed, and the things they learned. It was a great opportunity to practice presentation skills and also learn more about the different projects and tech stacks used at Arcurve.
5. Real Work Experience
One thing every intern is worried about before an internship is not getting enough work experience that would best reflect if they would work well in the industry. My worries washed away as I saw how quickly I was put into a project and had opportunities to work, connect, and present to our client. I am incredibly appreciative of Tim Lopez, one of the team’s software developers who mentored me during the project onboarding process. While there was a lot to learn, I am very grateful to be surrounded by a supportive team who is happy to answer any question and provide me with the support I need. Arcurve is a company that fosters growth, learning, and a passion for technology - and this is demonstrated in all of the people that work here. I found this aspect heavily reflected through this team as the number one thing that was pushed on me was to challenge myself and to not be afraid to fail - as that's where the best learning results. An aspect of my project work experience that I think I am most grateful for was having another intern working on the same project. It was relieving to feel like I am not the only new person on the project and there was someone else also learning new concepts. Experiencing the same milestone, whether it be presenting to the client for the first time or presenting to the team – it was nice to bond with someone else and feel this sense of pride in these accomplishments together.
6. The Atmosphere & People
Finally, the best thing about Arcurve is its PEOPLE! If you come into the office, you will likely see Arcurve’s very own ray of sunshine, Dani Finch. She will liven up your day and can somehow make it 10x better than it was before with a simple conversation. You may also see some of the founders and get to chat with them, share your experience, and hear about theirs. They are always very involved and want to ensure you are having the best experience at Arcurve. Everyone is very respectable and very passionate about a work-life balance. With these factors in mind, I am very glad I chose Arcurve to be my first experience in the tech industry. I don’t have a day where I am feeling isolated as the wonderful people and community keep in touch with me every day. I look forward to the many new experiences I will have as I continue my 12-month internship. If you’re interested in other Arcurvians' experiences, check out our student feed and blog posts!
