We had a chance to catch up with two IT intern alumni who recently launched full-time careers. Adam Delo transitioned from his internship to a software engineer role at Nelnet’s Madison location at the end of 2019. Vinay Singh participated in the Lincoln IT Pathway Program and started with Google in June of 2019.
Describe your current role.
Adam: I am an IT software engineer, and I do full stack development. This means I program on the front-end and back-end frameworks. I meet with clients to discuss code I created and altered, and learn what they need in the future.
My team works on legacy Great Lakes and Ascendium products, and we’re creating new and improved tools for other Nelnet businesses to use.
Vinay: I’m a software engineer at Google. I currently work on YouTube Assistant, which is essentially Google Assistant on YouTube. I work on projects to improve the voice experience of YouTube’s users and make it more accessible to a wider audience.
What’s one skill you picked up working at Nelnet that still benefits you today?
A: One skill I learned as an intern was subversion control. Subversion control is the use of tools like Git to modify and maintain current and old versions of files. I used it in school, but not to the extent that I would’ve liked. As an intern, I learned more about it after using it in my everyday job duties. I still use it daily as a full-time employee.
V: Communication and collaboration. Daily standups at Nelnet Payment Services helped me better articulate the things I’m working on and collaborate with my teammates whenever we faced tough problems. That helped me communicate effectively with my team here at Google.
How did your experience as a Nelnet intern help you through the recruiting process for your current role?
A: My experience as an intern helped me greatly in getting a full-time position. For one, my team already knew who I was and liked the work that I contributed, and they wanted to hire me on directly after graduation.
I stayed in contact with my manager throughout my last semester of college and we communicated about my expectations of full-time employment, along with her expectations of me. Overall, my internship really opened the door for full-time employment.
V: I had my first technical interview at Nelnet, which helped me better understand what to expect in tech interviews.
What advice do you have for current Nelnet interns looking to get the most out of their internship?
A: I would suggest they continue to ask questions. Nelnet associates are very helpful and willing to teach others. Learn as much as you can, since it may be applied in the future, even if you choose not to stay at Nelnet. You shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions – the more you ask, the more you will learn and take away from the experience.
V: Try everything. Even if you don’t find what you want to do, you’ll find what you don’t want to do. I realized this when dabbling in network engineering during one of my rotations.
Who were a few mentors who impacted your experience at Nelnet?
A: My team, “Team Picklehammer,” helped me tremendously in growing as a professional developer. My manager, Cara Martell, helped in many aspects of my professional career as well. Marc Allen also significantly impacted my experience. He helped me numerous times in solving problems, understanding systems, and identifying my strengths and weaknesses. Nathan Schiavone also helped my professional development by assisting with any problems I had.
V: The whole Nelnet Payment Services team, especially David Christensen, Corey Jergensen, and Andrew Ek. They were always there whenever I needed help. They are phenomenal engineers whom I learned so much from.
It’s nice to see our intern alumni find success, whether that’s here at Nelnet or elsewhere. We’re excited to see what the future holds for Adam and Vinay, as they’re just getting started.
Interested in joining the ranks of Nelnet intern alumni? Contact NelnetOnCampus@nelnet.net if you have any questions about current or future job openings.
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