Each summer, the hallways at Hughes fill with new faces, marking the arrival of our latest cohort of interns from top schools around the country. This year, we welcomed over 50 rising college juniors and seniors to the team, all of whom are pursuing degrees in a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The Hughes summer internship program offers them hands-on real-world experiences and an opportunity to grow professionally and personally. We strive to make their experiences at Hughes interesting and meaningful.
Year after year, we too are inspired by our interns. They come from diverse backgrounds and have a range of interesting experiences. Here are some fun facts about this year’s interns.
Their hometowns…
From right here in Germantown, Maryland to San Jose, California to India to Hong Kong, our interns join us from all over the world.
Where they go to school…
While a large percentage of interns attend schools in the Maryland, DC, Virginia area––schools like University of Maryland, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech––we have interns from schools across the country, including Penn State, UMass, University of Michigan, Cornell, Arizona State, NC State, Purdue, and Cal Poly.
Hobbies…
While it’s not surprising that many enjoy gaming and programming activities, this summer’s class of interns also enjoy hiking, soccer, cricket, surfing, rock climbing, birdwatching, playing piano, reading, watching movies, gardening, making jewelry, dancing, skateboarding and hanging out with friends.
What others might be surprised to learn…
In addition to wide ranging hobbies, our interns have some fascinating backgrounds and skills. One is already pursuing their second master’s degree. Two know four languages. One is an Eagle Scout, another has a barista certification. One was a professional cricket player, while another ran a sneaker reselling business in high school. We have an intern who served in the Singapore Army after high school, and one who placed in the top 32 for the Pokémon World Championships in 2014.
What they wanted to be when they grew up…
Even when they were younger, our interns had big dreams. More than a few remember wanting to become astronauts. Others wanted to be superheroes, a professional basketball or baseball player, a chef, a traveling food critic, a police officer or firefighter. And based on their studies, it looks like several are remaining true to their childhood dreams of becoming engineers, inventors, and scientists.
Their career goals and aspirations now…
What a difference a few years can make. In addition to refining their career aspirations, interns say they hope to:
- leave a lasting impact in whatever field I pursue
- become a software developer who can contribute to making this world a better place to live in
- lead digital transformation and the development of new technologies and
- be the best in my field
They’re also not shy about sharing their goals; one intern has an eye on becoming the CFO of Hughes.
We’re confident that no matter what this talented and ambitious class of interns sets their minds to, they’ll be the innovators behind tomorrow’s technologies and solutions. We can’t wait to see what they achieve!