Scholar Voices: A Journey Through Internships Navigating My Engineering Path

When I first arrived at Berkeley, I was eager to explore the opportunities that came with being in such a new environment. As a first-generation Mexican-American, the world of engineering was completely new to me. My parents, who are immigrants, worked manual labor jobs. I had no idea what it meant to work in corporate America, let alone a startup or government lab, but I knew I wanted to find out. 

Internships became my way of discovering these different industries, each with its own culture, work-life balance and challenges. Over the years, I’ve sought out experiences that could give me a real sense of what it means to work in these environments. Whether it was at a mid-sized company, a government agency or a research lab, each role taught me something new and pushed me to develop skills that would prepare me for the future. 

This past summer was a testament to the resilience I’ve built through my experiences. I was thrilled to have accepted a position with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency as an Imagery Scientist Intern. However, due to unexpected delays in my clearance, I found out just before summer that I wouldn’t be able to attend. It was a setback, to say the least, but one that led me to an incredible opportunity at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). 

At LLNL, I joined a research group that dove into advanced research on lithium-sulfur batteries—a project that stretched my understanding of molecular dynamics and machine learning. The experience was a reminder that sometimes the paths we least expect can lead to the most growth. It taught me to be adaptable and to see every challenge as an opportunity to learn and innovate. 

Throughout my journey, LinkedIn has been an indispensable tool. When I was a freshman, I reluctantly created an account, not realizing how crucial it would become in securing internships. It wasn’t just about finding job postings—it was about connecting with professionals, learning about new fields, and staying informed about opportunities. That proactive approach led me to roles that I wouldn’t have considered otherwise, like working as a radiation test intern at Astranis or exploring materials engineering at Coherent Corp. 

These internships have been about more than just building my résumé. They’ve been about discovering where I fit in the engineering world. I’ve taken on roles ranging from hardware engineering intern to data science intern, each time gaining new skills that have made me more interdisciplinary. Nuclear engineering, while a niche field, has opened doors to diverse roles, allowing me to apply my knowledge in unexpected ways. 

As I look toward the future, I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. The connections I’ve made and the skills I’ve developed have set a solid foundation for my career. This fall, I’ll continue to build on this foundation with a Co-Op as a Radiation Test Intern, where I’ll be diving deeper into the challenges of ensuring the reliability of spacecraft systems in harsh environments. 

For students just starting their internship journey, my advice is simple: start early, be open to different industries, and don’t be afraid to reach out to people. Mentorship has been a key part of my journey, providing me with guidance and support that has been invaluable. And while there’s always room for improvement—like more structured mentorship or greater diversity in leadership—I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had and the impact they’ve had on my career. 

The Earl Woods Scholar Program and TGR Foundation have also played a significant role in my journey. Their support has allowed me to pursue opportunities that might have otherwise been out of reach. Being part of these programs has given me the confidence to succeed in competitive environments, and I’m eager to continue pushing forward, knowing that I have a strong foundation. 

In the end, my internships have been more than just steppingstones—they’ve been a way to explore, learn and define what kind of engineer I want to be. While I still don’t have all the answers, I’m okay with that. After all, the journey is just as important as the destination.