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Students share 10 tips for getting the most out of tech internships

What's the best way to land an internship in tech? How do you make the most of the internship once you've got it? Dickinson students got the answers to these questions and some valuable on-the-job experience this summer through internships that sharpened their technical and interpersonal skills, prepared them for in-demand jobs and built their professional networks. A few of these students share what they’ve gained through summer internships in data, tech and engineering, along with their advice on how to find and make the most of these career-shaping experiences.

How to get a great internship

1. Start early! 

Dickinson students explore careers through career communities beginning in their first year on campus. Early internships help clarify goals and can open up prime opportunities down the road.

As Youssif Goda ’26 (computer science) notes, last year’s on-campus internship with Dickinson’s academic technology team provided the skills and experience that made him a highly competitive candidate for a prestigious software internship program.

Similarly, Hemanth Kapa '27 (computer science, neuroscience) built on a research internship at the Scripps Institute to obtain a coveted Summer Undergraduate Research Program Internship at the Barad Lab, at Oregon Health & Science University. "[My prior internship] played a big role in helping me get into my current internship program, since my previous mentors provided strong recommendations, and I was able to talk about what I learned during the application process," he said.

2. Take advantage of campus resources ...

“The Center for Career Development is a great place to start, whether you need help refining your résumé, building a professional LinkedIn profile or preparing for interviews,” said Goda, who particularly recommends using the college’s Handshake platform, because it's tailored to students.

 “The career center and alumni network … made a big difference for me in figuring out what kind of internship I wanted and how to get it,” added Hannah Boss ’26 (international business & management), who used AI tools daily during her internship

3. ... but don’t stop there!  

“Don't be afraid to explore outside resources and platforms. Expanding your search can open new doors for you and for future Dickinsonians who follow your path,” said Goda, who applied for opportunities LinkedIn and Indeed in addition to Handshake, .

4. Browse company websites. 

Abby Kohan '26 (data analytics) knew she was interested in opportunities at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and she applied for an internship directly through the company’s website. Ani Nikoghosyan ’27 (quantitative economics) applied for an internship online after speaking with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training’s executive director, who’d come to Dickinson to present an exhibit, "Century of Service."

5. Be open-minded and persistent.

Boss applied for last summer's international internship after completing two prior internships in the U.S. She recommends that students strive to be open-minded about possible opportunities. “I’ve learned so much from roles [in which] I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did, including opportunities at smaller companies or through lesser-known programs," Boss said. "They can give you way more responsibility than you’d think, which really helps you grow.”

"Send that cold email—and apply, even if you're not sure you'll get it," advised Kapa. And don't be afraid to connect with professionals in person, as  Nikoghosyan did.

How to make the most of it

What happens after you’ve secured a great internship? Students share how to maximize the experience.

6. Do the legwork.

Prior research set the stage for success, said Kohan: “If you can, talk to people who’ve worked there before; they may be willing to help and share their experiences.”

7. Ask the questions.

“I’ve learned the importance of asking thoughtful, clarifying questions to ensure understanding,” Kohan said.

8. It's not only about the work.

“Building relationships with your team and other interns can also make the experience more meaningful and open up unexpected opportunities and connections,” said Boss.

“I had the chance to talk to people in the field, from retired diplomats to professionals just a bit older than me preparing to enter the industry,” Nikoghosyan said. “I got better at networking, making connections with people I can learn from.”

9. Stay open-minded.

Embrace the unexpected not only while searching for internships but also on the job, too. “It could be a chance to broaden your horizons, discover new passions and gain experience,” Nikoghosyan said. Kapa agreed, saying, "Be open to every part of the experience, and use it to learn as much about yourself as you do about the work."

10. Be bold!

"Don’t be afraid to take initiative, because some of the most valuable learning happens when you step outside your comfort zone,” said Boss.

Meet your guides

From left: Youssif Goda '26 and Ani Nikoghosyan '27. 

Youssif Goda ’26 (computer science) completed a prestigious Edison Engineering Development Program software internship at GE HealthCare. The program included structured opportunities for networking, team collaboration, assigned mentorships and professional growth sessions, and it concluded with a presentation to an audience of engineers and hiring managers. 

Ani Nikoghosyan ’27 (quantitative economics) managed a Google Ads grant of $10,000 each month and created a monthly analytics report as part of an analytics and editing internship with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. She says interpreting and presenting data in a professional context helped her build skills, grow a professional network and plan next career steps. 

From left: Hannah Boss '26 and Abby Kohan '26.

Abby Kohan ’26 (data analytics) was a tech and analytics intern at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Kohan used AI tools to automate tasks, tracked progress through team meetings, supported the development of presentation decks and visualizations and tested process flow. This helped her build time management, communication and adaptability skills and prepared her for the similar team-based, problem-solving work ahead.

Hannah Boss ’26 (international business & management) demonstrated that high-tech projects are not just for STEM majors. Boss used AI tools each day while interning at Winmark Global, in London. “It helped me understand how AI tools like ChatGPT can be used in a business context, which I know will be useful moving forward,” Boss said.

Hemanth Kapa '27 is exploring a career path that combines computer science, medical research and patient care.

As a Summer Undergraduate Research Intern at Oregon Health & Science University, Hemanth Kapa '27 (computer science, neuroscience) split his time between hands-on lab work and computational projects, performing wet lab experiments, and building a graphical user interface for a surface morphometrics pipeline, a tool designed for ultrastructural analysis of cellular organelles. Weekly meetings with his supervisor helped him reflect on progress and plan next steps, and lunches and outings with fellow interns made the experience even more rewarding. He's now exploring a career path that blends patient care with scientific discovery.

"This internship really changed the way I think about my future," he said. "Being able to work on both experiments in the lab and on a tech-focused project showed me how much I enjoy the overlap between science and technology. It made me more confident about pursuing research, more open to new opportunities and more motivated to share what I do with others."

Like his peers, Kapa also encourages peers in any major to pursue internships. "Internships are one of the best ways to figure out what you actually enjoy and what you don’t, whether that’s a certain field, work environment or mentorship style. They also help you build connections, form lifelong mentors and new friends and give you the chance to explore a new city or environment," he explained.

TAKE THE NEXT STEPS 

Published October 13, 2025