Hi! I’m Erin Joy! I’m a senior in Computer Science at Purdue. At this point, I’ve interned at a couple of different organizations starting out at GE Aerospace in Summer 2023, then moved into a co-op with JLG industries in Spring 2024, then finally interned with Cisco in Summer 2024 after my junior year.

While I was at Cisco, my major role was in the development of a full-stack application that utilized RAG Agents to allow engineers to converse with their error logs. By developing various preprocessors, experimenting with storage solutions and embeddings, and developing chat templates, I made the first AI use case for my team’s operating system. This acted as a proof of concept for more development in my project and others that they are still working on now.

I was recently part of a project involving a team of 4 (including myself) that had a lot of shifting priorities. Because our goalpost was constantly changing, we had difficulty planning our sprints to ensure that we weren’t creating blockers or dependencies for one another. To address this, we decided to think small. We set a single, clear goal for what our product should look like at the end of each week within our three-week sprint.

This helped us create a usable base product by the end of the sprint, even if it didn’t perfectly align with the long-term vision. From there, we were able to continue building on an already working product to get closer to the final vision that had come into focus because of the micro goals we made along the way. Ultimately, this approach helped my team stay aligned and keep our momentum.

Build your community. This means building connections inside and outside of your school. Some of the biggest impact on my career has come as a result of being a part of organizations like Rewriting the Code and Girls Who Code because they gave me access to mentors and peers who provided support and community.

No one grows alone, and being in these spaces allows you to meet great people and hear about tons of opportunities: scholarships, conferences, career fairs, networking events, and even jobs. I would also suggest getting really comfortable with building for fun. I personally find that just building projects for the sake of building is exhausting, but building something I actually need and use has made me a better engineer and brought me enjoyment as I see the fruits of my labor in action.

Nvidia’s financial performance surged as the company’s revenue increased by 78% to $39.33 billion, with profits up by 80% to $22.09 billion in the latest quarter, exceeding Wall Street expectations. This growth was driven by robust sales of its AI chips, particularly its new Blackwell series, despite earlier market jitters caused by a Chinese startup with claimed cheaper AI solutions. Nvidia continues to dominate the AI chip market, with substantial investments from major tech firms in AI data centers boosting its sales. Despite geopolitical tensions affecting its business in China, Nvidia remains a key player in the global AI industry. Read more HERE from the New York Times.

Eli Lilly announced a $27 billion investment to build four new manufacturing plants in the U.S., enhancing domestic production as President Trump proposes 25% tariffs on pharmaceuticals. This move, aimed at creating jobs and reinforcing the supply chain, responds to potential policy changes and the need for local production highlighted by the COVID-10 pandemic’s supply disruptions. The new facilities will focus on producing active ingredients and injectable products, including treatments for weight loss, diabetes, cancer, immunology, and neuroscience. Read more HERE from CNN.

Bringing back some highlights of creators to follow in addition to the resources I share! If you’re a student on LinkedIn or a full time professional, maybe you’ve heard of Brenna Lasky! Here are some resources she highlighted in her posts:

Google Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/eTmtDJrZ

Meta Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/e-SPVNfv

Amazon Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/ed9vUHbU

Microsoft Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/eA69HGkF

NVIDIA Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/ex_bQfUn

Spotify Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/eA8gVRtV

Uber Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/equ-Bqfk

Pinterest Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/e4tERBsu

Apple Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/eQwvT2Ad

Salesforce Interview Guide: https://lnkd.in/eEwyfHdH

Brenna Lasky was a former recruiter for tech giants like Meta, Salesforce, and Google. She now works on her own coaching agency where she empowers others with her insights into navigating big tech careers. Not only does she offer personalized coaching, she also posts valuable lessons from her journey on her LinkedIn to over 50,000 followers! Follow her HERE on LinkedIn for more amazing resources, advice, and opportunities!