How I Landed My First Internship With Outreachy

Take a moment to resonate with the words above. This is a principle I always follow in life. "Doing it scared"

Get To Know Me

My name is Precious Oritsedere. I am a Nigerian. I am a software engineer who is known for her dedication to her work and her strong core values. I believe in the power of love, contribution, and empathy, hence I use these values as my guide in both my personal and professional life.

As a young girl, I have always been fascinated by technology, gadgets, and even games. However, I didn't study any technology-related courses at university. I graduated with a degree in International Studies and Diplomacy but this didn't stop my curiosity for Technology. I really wanted to pursue my passion for technology but I was unsure of the means to go about it because I had no guide.

Fast-forward to January 2022, I spoke to a friend about how I really wanted to know and learn more about Software Engineering and he introduced me to AltSchool Africa. This was the starting point of my Tech Career. Subsequently, I began to learn all about Frontend Engineering, and I also got introduced to open source.

Why I applied to Outreachy

As a software engineer, I am committed to using my skills to make a positive impact on the world. I believe in the power of collaboration and teamwork and I am always willing to lend a helping hand to my colleagues. This was why the concept of open source really appealed to my personality.

One of the things that motivate me, is my desire to give back to my community. I am passionate about making a difference, and this is why I applied for the Outreachy internship. Outreachy is a program that provides paid internships in open source and open science. Outreachy provides internships to people subject to systemic bias and impacted by underrepresentation in the technology industry where they are living. Interns are paid a stipend of $7,000 for a period of 3 months.

The Outreachy application process consists of three stages: the initial application, the contribution period, and the final application. And I was determined to succeed in each stage and eventually secure an internship. Which I did! Here's how;

The first stage of the application process was the initial application. I carefully reviewed the requirements and made sure I met all of them. We were asked to write 3 essays centered around how we have been underrepresented in the tech industry. I took quite some time to carefully think this through before writing my essays. After which, I submitted my application on time and waited for a response.

A few weeks later, I received an email from the Outreachy organizers stating that I had been selected to move on to the next stage: the contribution period. This stage involved making a contribution to an open-source project. I was excited to have the opportunity to make a real impact and I spent hours researching the different projects. I eventually chose to contribute to the Creative Commons project "Refactor CC Meta Search".

Creative Commons is an American non-profit organization and international network devoted to educational access and expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. They also help overcome legal obstacles to the sharing of knowledge and creativity to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

I was so determined to make a high-quality contribution to this project. I learnt a lot during this stage. I got introduced to new tools like Docker , Linux and even PHP. I spent countless hours learning the codebase and working on my contribution. In the spirit of love and collaboration, I spent a lot of hours helping my fellow Outreachy applicants who were beginners or confused about what to do. I also reached out to the project mentors for guidance when I got stuck and feedback on the contributions I was making.

My hard work paid off and I successfully submitted my contribution on time. For the final stage, I made a final application to be considered for an internship position with Creative Commons.

I was so thrilled when I received the congratulatory mail some weeks later that I had been selected for the internship. My success in the Outreachy application process was a result of my dedication and hard work. I put in the time and effort to ensure I met all the requirements and made a valuable contribution to the project. And I am happy to announce that my determination and perseverance paid off and I was rewarded with a valuable internship opportunity.

In conclusion, Precious Oritsedere is a talented software engineer who is dedicated to her work and driven by her core values of love, contribution, and empathy. She is motivated by her desire to make a difference, and this is evident in her commitment to her work and her participation in the Outreachy internship.