This post was written by Cisco Intern Charlie Helms Jr.

What I love mostabout working at Cisco is thefeelingthat I truly matter. Being an African-American student in computer science has many challenges, and one of them is seeing longevity in your field when you do not see many peoplethat look like you there. As a result of this problem, I suffered from impostor syndrome and always doubted my ability to do well in a technical role.But Cisco is dedicated to diversity and ensuring we allhave a voice in the wonderful world of technology and making the world a better place.

If you asked me a year ago about being an intern at Cisco, I would've told you that I didn't think I was qualified enough to do so-but sometimes what we don't see in ourselves is a fire lit by those whocansee it.

As a rising junior atUNC Chapel Hill I co-founded an organization called Black in Technology to inspire students in college to pursue a computer science major and career pathway. The organization holds events with different companies so students can learn more about their technical roles. One event that I arranged was with Cisco'sEmployee Resource Organization (ERO) -theConnected Black Professional group. 

I wantedmy fellow classmatesto attend the event so thatthey could apply for internships, and while I thought it would be a good networking and educational experience for me -I never sawmyself applying. When I was about to leave, a Cisco employeetold me I would be a good fit fora Software Engineer role.I couldn't have been more surprised -"Me, why me?"I thought.  

But they saw something in me that I did notyetsee in myself, and they knew that Cisco could helpthat flicker grow into a flame. They also knew that not only could Cisco help meto grow, but thatI could also helpCisco as well -interns aren't just interns at Cisco, we're seen as an integral part of the team and encouraged to add our insight and knowledge to helpmake things better.  

When I obtained myinternship,I made it a personal mission of mine to not only do the work of a Software Engineer but also go the extra mile to see howmuch of animpactI could havein the company.  

Here are the 3 ways I feel I made the most impact during my internship: 

1. MyMainInternshipProject:For my main projecton the Release Management teamI had toself-teachmyself PEGA, which is a software that helps withcustomer relationship management, digital process automation, and business process management. I was the firstemployee in the US on my teamutilizing this software. Once I completedself-paced lessons,I was then connected with a team of PEGA developers in India to answer my questions about designing the module.I then met withstakeholders to understand the requirements, whichwas crucial because the module will be utilized by the team for years, and there could not be any errors.Due to thesuccess of this layout, my team will use my process as the blueprint when they bring on new interns and hires in the future.

2.Networking:You hear this one a lot, but you hear it because it's so important as an intern to take advantage of the networking available to you at Cisco. And, so, I did my very best to meet with as many different leaders and co-workers as possible to create lasting bonds.One ofthe highlightsof my internshipwas meetingCisco's CEOChuck Robbins andthe CEO of Global CitizenHugh Evans afterour all employee monthly meeting, The Cisco Beat. I pitchedthemthe idea about having aGlobal Citizenchapterat UNC Chapel Hill, and they both loved the idea. They put me in contact with people to meet and I am pleased to say that we have made a lot of progress in executing my vision.That all stems from networking!

3.Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone: Another great aspect of my internshipwasthe ability to work on a marketing project. I proposedthe idea ofmaking avideo that showcases what IT isall about to candidates and new hiresto theIT University director, because there is not a lot of information about this division. They fully supported the idea and gave me a list of people to meetwith so that I couldshare my ideas and collectstories on what IT means to those who work in this field. Theexperience allowed me to meet even moreCisco employeesaround theglobe andgave me the chance to complete a marketing project -which is something I always wanted to do.At Cisco, there's really no boundaries on what you can accomplish!

My Ciscointernship wastransformative. Inowfeel more confident in my ability to work in a technicalrole andhave an extensive network inside and outside of Cisco.Not to mention, I nowhave workexperience in acompletelynew field! In a short amount of time, I can't believe how much I have grown, and I'm excited to see what the future holds. Not only can I not wait to come back, but I can't wait to tell others at UNC Chapel Hill and beyond how I loved working at Cisco -and why I think they should too! 

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