Student Spotlight - Brunda Katikireddy ‘24 (Uplight)
Written on November 18th, 2022 by Naser
This post is part of a student spotlight series highlighting the work of exceptional students. The series aims to facilitate knowledge sharing among students on topics such as internships, jobs, and graduate school. Today, I have the pleasure of talking to Brunda Katikireddy ‘24, a sophomore who will tell us about her internship experience at Uplight this summer.
Naser: Can you tell us about the internship you had this summer? What kind of internship was it?
Brunda: I had an internship with a sustainable technology company called Uplight this summer! It was an internship within their Reporting Team, which handles all the data requests that the company gets.
Naser: How did you find this internship? And why did you select it?
Brunda: I found this internship through Davis Connects, and I selected it because it was a tech internship in the sustainability field, which is something I am very interested in getting involved with in the future. I wanted to spend the summer in sustainable tech to see if I actually wanted to pursue it after college.
Naser: Can you tell us about the interview process? And how did you prepare for it?
Brunda: The interview process had two parts. The first was a more informal call, where I was asked some basic vetting questions. I was asked about what I knew about Uplight, why I wanted to work at the company, and about certain qualifications that the company wanted to confirm I have. I prepared for this internship by learning about the company, and making sure I knew the specifics about what the company does. I also made sure to go through all of the technical requirements for this internship, so I would be able to talk about my experience and why I was confident in my abilities with specific examples of my previous work. After this first round, I had a final interview, which was with the managers of the specific team I was looking to join. This interview was more technical, and they let me know the specifics of what this role would entail on a day-to-day basis, and I prepared for this interview by brushing up on my coding skills and making sure I could talk about my experience and the skills I have acquired thus far in detail.
Naser: What kind of activities were you involved in during your internship? And what aspects did you find most interesting?
Brunda: During the internship, I was integrated into all the daily meetings that the specific team and the overarching branch of the company had. I was able to see directly how different sectors of the company worked together to create the intended end products. My specific team handled the data requests, so I learned how to manipulate and process data in the most efficient way for each specific request. While I helped out a lot with these daily tasks, I was also given overarching projects to work on, to help the team maximize efficiency moving forward. For example, I was tasked with automating the ticket scheduling process for the team. I was given a lot of creative liberty with this project, which is something that helped me gain confidence in my coding abilities, and I was also introduced to new technologies and platforms, which I was then able to integrate into these projects.
Naser: What tips would you give students interested in doing an internship in the future? You can mention any details that you like, including websites and other resources.
Brunda: I think the biggest tip I have for students interested in doing an internship in the future is to look for an internship that combines one or more of your interests. I think something that helped me stand out in the interview process was my previous involvement in sustainability initiatives at Colby, as well as environmental research I had previously done. This allowed me to bring more to the table than just my computer science education. I also made sure to really know a lot about the company, so I could tie in what the company worked on with my interests and prior knowledge to show them I was a good fit for the role!
Naser: Also, I believe you are the president of the e-NABLE club at Colby, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
Brunda: Yes, I am the president of the e-NABLE club at Colby! We are a club that 3-D prints prosthetic upper limb devices, which is significantly cheaper than the traditional method. The club is a way to learn how to 3-D print, assemble prosthetics, and find cases to work on. You need no experience to join, and it is a great way to pick up new skills and help those in need!
Naser: This is very interesting, how can students join the club?
Brunda: Students can join the club by emailing me!
Naser: Thank you for sharing your experience, Brunda. It was great hearing about your summer internship, and I am sure others will find your experience with Uplight and e-NABLE motivating and beneficial in their journey.
Brunda: My pleasure!
