Jiaqian Yu's Xtern Story

It was not only a Dream.

I learned about the Xtern program provided by TechPoint through Grace Hopper Conference in 2021. At the time, it sounded too good to be true when I applied to this program. The description mentioned that it would help me get a job from one of the 50+ tech companies in Indianapolis, provide free housing and promote my professional development through the events they organize. Now I know it to be all true, and it has been one of the best summers I have ever had.

It was a Challenge.

I was surprised when Maurice Simmons , TechPoint's Program Operations Coordinator, told me they selected around 140+ interns from 2000+ applicants; it is a highly competitive program. After completing a written assignment and four interviews, I got an offer from KAR Global as a Product Manager and Owner Intern. Before this summer, I had no real-world experience on the product side, but now I could enter the job market with the required skills and confidence.?

At KAR Global, I worked primarily on website migrations, integrating UK customers into our European website. I learned to analyze customer problems and collaborate with the engineering, design and business teams to create features, acceptance criteria, user stories, and end products. I also maintained and prioritized the product backlog to ensure our work focused on delivering business value. In addition, I became familiar with the Agile Methodology and product tools like Aha! and Azure DevOps.

I would not be who I am today without the help of the following individuals: my manager, Jamie Speck , the director of Product Ownership; my mentors, Rolla Kaddoura, PMP , the Senior Product Owner, and Stacey Adderley , the Senior Product Manager. They all worked hard and dedicated a lot of time to mentoring me. They are extraordinary leaders and colleagues! I would also like to thank Donna Bryant , The IT Director; Maidy Santosa, PMP , the Digital Product Manager of AFC; and my HR partners, Sarah Wolfgang , Jen Weinmann , Sunny C. , Eryn Clasey, MBA and DeeAnna Woiton . They have created a friendly and supportive work environment and made me feel welcome in the KAR Global family.

It is a Community.

The Xtern Community

I became one of the six leaders of Xtern, responsible for bringing other interns together and organizing over 9 events for them within 10 weeks. Getting the Xterns to attend the events was difficult and challenging in the first two weeks. I did not get many responses, but I did not give up. I sent out surveys to learn about their preferences for activities and food, communicated with them individually to understand why they couldn't join events and adjusted the plans based on their feedback. As a result, the number of people who attended my later events tripled compared to the first event. As an Xtern leader, I gained valuable leadership and communication skills, which will be crucial for my career. I am also glad to have worked with five fantastic Xtern leaders, Dever Kemme Nash , Emily Cassanmagnago , Haley Alexander , Tushar Sonvani and Vaibhava Potturu . Together, we have built a better Xtern community where people feel inclusive.?

The Tech Community

This summer, I joined 10 professional development courses ranging from learning new skills to understanding the tech ecosystem. Aside from professional events, I also attended 4 large networking sessions and 3 civic engagement events to give back to my community. I got many opportunities to talk with excellent people working in the tech space, and their stories inspired me to work harder and smarter.

It is a Family.??

Before I came to Indy, the only thing I knew about it was the Indy 500 race, but now I can say I am an 'expert' and more knowledgeable of downtown Indy. I could talk all day about local restaurants, parks, museums and where has volunteering opportunities. I've fallen in love with this city not only because of the friendly tech environment, but also because of the unique Xtern family and friends! I want to tag all my beloved friends here. It is them who completed my summer! This summer was like a dream that I hope would never end, and our friendship would last a lifetime. Rylee Miller , Aakrista Shakya , Nicholas Rodriguez , Vinay Vankina , Karthik Ravishankar , Armando Badillo , Vishnu Bindiganavile , Thomas Weber , Tanvi Inani , Hana (Quynh) Le , Mana Yoshikawa , Jessica G. , Danny Galan , Connor Belt , Xinyi Zhu , Cary Martin , Manh Dinh , Shreyas Minocha , Van Huynh , Darren Iyer , Simeon Dunn , Pawas Aggarwal , Zoee Huxford , Logan Manthey , Evan Buck , Stephanie Suh , Kate Bangert , Megan Dawson

It is the future.?

Finally, I want to shout out to the TechPoint team Maurice Simmons , Addy Monger , Malik Laffoon , who helped me get this internship and created this unforgettable experience. I love what the organization is doing in Indy for the tech talents, and I would love to get more people involved in this amazing program in the future.