Tartan Careers - Sophy Peng
Sport: Women's Swimming and Diving
Class Year 20-21: Senior
Major: Information Systems
Internship Year, Title, and Company
Summer 2020, Software Engineering Intern, Apple
Application process: I applied around late September to early October. I accepted my offer near the end of November to early December.
Why did this internship interest you: I had heard great things from previous interns about the work culture. Apple is a company that has products that influence a large variety of fields and the opportunity to explore and grow was something that I did not want to miss.
How did you complete the internship - remotely or on-site: My internship was remote.
Description of internship: I worked with a team to create a product. I worked approximately 40 hours a week, but that did increase as more intern events started
happening. I really appreciate that Apple went out of the way to create virtual events for us to attend to have a good time and get to meet other interns despite global circumstances. I spent an even amount of time everyday coding, communicating with my team and spending time with interns and other employees in a social context.
How it could have been different if not remote: I think it would have been much easier to meet people and ask for help. Remotely everything needs to be scheduled on a calendar even if it is a question that only needs five minutes. This is very different than stopping by someone’s desk for a question. There is also the lack of social connection with employees or other interns that you would normally get from just walking around the office.
How did this internship shape your next move: From this experience, I know what I am looking for in terms of work culture and what I look for in a team. The diversity and inclusion initiatives in the company are really important to me. I am looking for a place that really values my work. Next summer I hope to have an internship in a different area of software, so that I can really explore my interests and really figure out what I want to do and the best way is through experience.