Maseel Shah is a rising senior at University of Virginia who is majoring in Computer Science and joined Appian for a summer internship on the Engineering team. He is a Washington, D.C. native, and loves everything about sports. His favorite local sports team is Commanders. Read this story capturing his experience from the internship at Appian.
What attracted you to the internship position at Appian in the first place?
I was first attracted by a workshop at Appian after my first year at UVA. I fell in love with the campus and the work culture at Appian. People here are passionate about the work they do and they are also very friendly.
How would you describe the company culture?
It's a very welcoming and friendly culture. Appian provides a great balance between working hard and having fun. They care about you enjoying the work that you do, but they also encourage you to have an impact, so it’s a nice balance. Also, the company values are integrated into the culture and I could see it in everything I did, as well as in my interactions with people throughout the company.
Tell us about a project you worked on during your internship that was your favorite.
I am currently working on a project that’s called Record Field Security. We are blocking certain fields so only users who absolutely have to see that type of data, get to see those fields, which adds an additional layer of security. Let’s give an example – if you are in HR operations, you probably need to see employees’ SSN, but someone who is in Engineering should not have a view of that column.
Would you say that the internship matched your expectations going into it?
It’s matching my expectations. I knew the culture was very friendly and everyone here is always happy to help you. You can set up a coffee chat with an executive or meet with some in another department to get to know different people and roles. That way you can move around freely and learn from other people who may not be on your immediate team.
“Also, the Mentorship program at Appian is very valuable. Each intern is assigned to a mentor giving you an outside resource so you can ask them questions that may be different from the questions you would ask your manager.”
How has the experience impacted you?
My previous internships were fully remote, but this in-person internship helped me to be a more effective communicator by giving presentations, and overall being more professional. I’ve been able to interact with a wide range of people, network across the company, and not be afraid to reach out to other people. It’s been really good to get out of the house and meet new people. Also, taking a small ping pong break in the middle of the day helps build camaraderie among the small teams, it also clears your mind, and makes you more productive for the rest of the day.
How has the experience impacted you?
One way to step outside of my comfort zone was to participate in Appian Talks and share my experiences in front of a large audience.
“I definitely was stepping outside of my comfort zone during this internship. The big outcome for me is that I am learning how to make an impact outside of my immediate work, find those intersections of mutually beneficial outcomes, and clearly communicate those to others, which then makes it easier to influence and get the buy-in resulting in a much larger impact for the customer.”
What are you most proud of that you’d accomplished at Appian?
Friendships I’ve built here. I met a lot of people from across the country from different schools. I’ve seen various perspectives and observed how others approach problems.
Maseel (second from the left) with his intern peers (Aryan Kothari, Ryan Wandey, Nathan Henshall) at the National Intern Day Celebration Event.
How have you expanded your professional network for future career opportunities?
I attended various learning events that gave presentations on technology I wanted to learn about, but there were also many meetings with presenters who shared their personal stories of how they transitioned through various roles or progressed in their current roles into more senior ones.
Finally, what advice do you have for other students considering an internship with us?
Don’t be intimidated if you don’t think you know all the technology, or don't have all the skills listed on the job post in order to be an intern. It’s ok if you don’t check every box, because you will learn a lot on the job. They don’t expect you to know everything, that’s why you are here to learn and grow. Embrace the challenge!
Learn more about internship and campus hiring opportunities at Appian.