Internships

Internship Experience

Throughout my university experience, I have made it a goal of mine to obtain internships for each summer that I am enrolled in college. So far, I have had the opportunity to work two internships, and I am hoping to obtain two more before graduation. On this page, I will share and reflect on my experiences with my internships. Internships are essential as they allow you to navigate and get a taste of what the workforce will be like. With an internship, you can see where you would like to work in the future without committing because you are still in school. Internships can also set you up for post-grad employment. Knowing that the second you walk that stage, you have a job waiting for you can knock weight off your shoulders.

BDNet Corporate Networking

BDNet was the first company I interned for as an IT Intern in the summer of 2023. I am extremely grateful for this internship because it set me up to be who I am in IT development. Although I was passionate about IT, I didn’t know much about it, especially the foundation. Working for BDNet taught me the many skills necessary to be an IT professional and to succeed in the corporate world. BDNet is a managed service provider; we have clients, and to our clients, we provide a specific service; that service is managing their IT. We handled everything technology-related, from phones, TVs, computers, and tablets. Anything tech, you name it, we managed it. I learned

  • Client communication
  • Inventory management
  • Proper creation and storage of documentation
  • IP Configuration
  • Computer onboarding and offboarding
  • Various hardware and software used to perform tasks and complete the job

Not only was BDNet an internship for me, but it was also a family. The workplace environment was one that I’d never experienced before and it set the bar in what I looked for in an employer. Having this experience allowed me to know that there are still companies and businesses out in the world that care about their employees.

Four men standing in an office in front of a sign that reads "BDNET."

Sands Capital Management

Now that I had obtained all the foundational knowledge for IT, it was time to go in to my niche: Cybersecurity. For my second internship, I was looking for a position in Cybersecurity. In the summer of 2024, I  found myself interning for Sands Capital Management as a Cybersecurity Intern. Sands Capital is an investment firm that invests on behalf of their clients. They are a well respected and known firm. I was excited for this role because I was able to get a real-life experience of what a Cyber Analyst does. As in intern for Sands, here is what I learned:

  • Alert triaging and threat hunting
  • Monitoring security events and trends within the financial services industry
  • Created and sent spear-phishing emails to promote user cybersecurity awareness.
  • Assisted in projects including domain controller migration, DMZ takedown, security script refactoring, and honeypot creation.
  • Shadowed and worked closely with the head cybersecurity engineer.

Working directly and shadowing under the head cyber engineer was definitely needed, not only was he able to teach me but I was able to ask any necessary questions. Once again the workplace environment was amazing. The head of the technology department was a well respected man who cared deeply for his employees.

Picture with my bosses at Sands Capital

Personal Development

My experience from various internships has allowed me to network and communicate with new people. I have been able to work with diverse individuals and build lasting relationships. I am preparing myself for the real world, and I know what needs to be done before I walk the stage.