Touring Silicon Valley

This fall, I applied for a spot on Grinnell’s first career development industry tour of Silicon Valley. In my application, I wrote: 

“As a third-year computer science major, I am both excited and scared to say I have decided what I want to do with my life after I graduate. I want to pursue my love of programming and problem-solving in a career in software engineering. And, like most Grinnell students, I want to make a difference. I don’t know how or where I will do it, but my work will be significant.

“I have been preparing myself for this trip since my first year, though I didn’t know it until recently. I have taken as much computer science as possible, mainly just because I love it. I have also emphasized mathematics and economics. Mathematics allows me to think like a mathematician — key to solving the toughest problems in computer science. Economics helps me understand the business side of the computer industry. 

“It takes much more than classroom experience to impress the tech companies out there, so I have not wasted summers, either. After my first year, I performed a directed research project with professor of computer science Henry Walker to implement the use of robots in a Grinnell computer science course. This was the first use of Scribbler 2 robots with the C language, and my first experience doing something that had never been done before.

“After my second year, I did a mentored advanced project with another student and assistant professor of mathematics and statistics Jeff Blanchard, in which we created the fastest multiselection algorithm in the world using NVIDIA GPUs. We created a parallelizable algorithm for selecting multiple order statistics out of huge data sets and optimized the algorithm for GPU technology. I then took what I had learned from that experience and applied it at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where I helped analyze large sets of DNA to help with cancer research.

“My research has taught me a lot, and I really enjoyed it. Now I hope to find an industry internship — the logical next step for me in pursuing a prosperous career where I can truly make a difference in the way we use technology. It all starts in Silicon Valley.”

Fortunately, I was chosen for a place on the trip along with 11 other students. The trip far surpassed my expectations! The area is even more amazing than I imagined. Companies there grow faster than anywhere in the world, yet they still manage to have a relaxed culture where employees have a say in what the company does and get to make a real impact in helping their company succeed. This is especially true with start-up companies. I had never realized just how many start-ups there are in the area, and how interesting and unique all of them are. Actually, I never really even thought about start-ups at all before this trip, but now I think a Silicon Valley start-up may just be a perfect work environment for me. I have decided I will now actively pursue a career there.

This trip also made me realize the value of networking, and how valuable the Grinnell alumni network is. We have some powerful alumni in amazing places, and all whom I met on the trip were more enthusiastic about helping current students than I could ever have expected. My primary goal for this trip was to obtain an internship, and the Grinnell alumni at many of the companies we visited submitted my application to their companies. I’ve already had interviews with three companies, and there are more to come! Without this trip, I never would have been able to apply to so many companies.

This trip gave me a much-needed foothold in the technology industry. At Grinnell, it’s easy to focus on academics and forget about the real world, but this trip has done more than anything else I’ve experienced at Grinnell to help me plan for and feel confident about my future. I hope there will be many more opportunities like this for Grinnell students in the future.