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After graduating in May from California State University, Long Beach, Arsalan began working full time with IGS in New York. He credits the job with IGS to his Extreme Blue™ internship experience--working on the ManageAnywhere project for IGS.
Q: How was the experience for you?
A: It was great. We worked on integrating backend legacy systems into one and making them available on any portal. Exploring and implementing cutting-edge methodologies was both fun and thrilling. We were not instructed/assigned, so we stepped into a senior architect role--building, designing, implementing, prototyping and proving ideas. The chance to see our ideas working and to finally deliver them was really a great success for us.
Q: What were you expecting? How did the experience deliver on those expectations?
A: I've never seen internships like that. Usually, you're assigned or instructed to do specific tasks and are provided the line along which you have to go. With the Extreme Blue internship, we knew the name and nature of the project; however, we determined how we'd deliver, implement, and what technologies/methodologies we'd undertake. Typically, internships don't give that kind of freedom of creativity. I took this as a challenge to my potential.
Q: What did you learn? How has the experience helped you professionally? What was the most valuable lesson that you learned? What skills have you developed?
A: In addition to the technical things, I learned to respect others and to work with others. I also learned that I want to be unique and do something that's not expected from my job. I want to bring additional value to my job--it always pay you no matter what your long-term goal is.
Q: How did you relate to your mentor(s)? Do you keep in contact with your mentors?
Exposure to business and technical leaders Was this networking valuable for you? Why?
Comment on how Extreme Blue compared to other internship programs:
A: They were of great help. They provided a lot of workflow knowledge to us. Being selected in the Extreme Blue internship itself was an honor. We were given a lot of respect from every division--wherever we were introduced, we were treated very special. I see the Extreme Blue internship as a door to many opportunities. After graduating from Extreme Blue, we were labeled as an Extreme Blue internee--which is recognized as an honor given to only a few. Usually, when you do internships, you don't get introduced to corporate heads and executives, but we were introduced to executives like we were great geniuses.:) I must say the Extreme Blue internship is a route to many great opportunities, allowing you a chance to prove yourself and go beyond your potential.
Q: Were you impressed with the your Extreme Blue peers? Did you learn from them? Do you keep in contact with them? What would make the 'experience even' better?
A: Oh yes, everyone was a champion in their field. I learned the dynamics of these people.
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