Algora P.B.C., Hudson, MA
This past summer, I worked as a software development intern for Algora P.B.C., a technology start-up and public benefit corporation. Algora is a new organization, and I was part of its second class of summer interns, working closely with the organization’s founders in preparation for a public launch at colleges and universities across the nation.
Algora’s mission is simple: to connect computer science undergraduates with technology start-ups in order to perform on-demand, freelance work that benefits both students and start-ups. As one of its targeted demographics, I was immediately intrigued, and this interest served me over the next three months as I worked directly on the Algora platform. My work included developing web pages and data display, in addition to weekly video calls where the founders and interns would discuss strategy and direction.
One project in particular was creating a pilot page for students and start-ups to register for the platform. As one of my first tasks at the internship and in the field in general, the project tested my skills in research and organization, as well as design. Though the medium was new to me, through plenty of reading and a lot of trial and error, eventually I produced something I was proud of.
As a double major in computer science and political science, I had up until this summer only worked in the latter realm, but I was excited to exercise my other major and put my classroom skills to work in the field. It also rekindled my interest in software development and engineering, and in my last year at Williams I’ve resolved to take more courses in this area to further learn and hone my skills.
The reason I was particularly attracted to Algora was its promise: matching students with start-ups in order to kickstart their careers and get paid for doing so. As a student in that position, it is certainly an alluring message, and one that I was happy to contribute to. I know that my computer science peers at Williams and other schools, could greatly benefit from such an online platform, and it is my hope that Algora can lower the barriers to entry into the often-challenging field of software engineering and development. That is where I hope to be headed in the future, and this internship has definitely affected my professional career path by improving my abilities in software engineering and web development. Balanced with my political science major, I hope to use my computer science degree to develop technology and systems to help young people to register to vote and indeed vote nationwide.
Of course, my summer internship experience at Algora wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of the Sustainable Policy Internship—and in particular Mr. Donald Carlson ’83—as well as all the assistance and guidance from the ’68 Center for Career Exploration. I am truly grateful for them to have given me this opportunity, and I am so happy that I was able to spend this summer working for Algora.
Megamenu Social