Many students visit career fairs to start exploring potential paths, and sometimes that leads to a major breakthrough. For James Lynch, a single conversation served as the launchpad for his career.
James is a rising senior double majoring in computer science and mathematics. After attending the Spring University Career and Internship Fair last semester, he connected with a recruiter from WoodmenLife and learned more about internship opportunities with the company.
“I've found the career fairs hosted by Career Services to be an extremely valuable resource," James said. "I would recommend that every student attend career fairs because they provide students the opportunity to put themselves out there, connect directly with employers and learn more about the opportunities available to them.”
Following the fair, he was offered an interview for a summer internship position. James used Career Services resources, including resume templates and interview preparation guides, to sharpen his interviewing skills. His preparation paid off, and he accepted a software engineering internship with WoodmenLife in Omaha, where he is working from June 1 to Aug. 7.
“This experience has strengthened my ability to collaborate in a professional environment, adapt quickly to unfamiliar tools and contribute meaningfully to a team-based software project,” James said.
In this role, James works on an Agile software development team building an enterprise-level application for the company's internship project. His responsibilities include writing code, developing technical documentation, learning new technologies and helping prioritize team tasks using Agile principles.
Agile software development guidelines emphasize collaboration, adaptability and continuous improvement, allowing teams to respond to changing project needs while continuing to deliver value to stakeholders. For James, working within this environment has been one of the most rewarding parts of the internship.
“My favorite part of this internship so far has been collaborating with my peers and senior coworkers to build an enterprise-level application that delivers real value to actual stakeholders," James said. "This experience has been especially rewarding because it has exposed me to the types of challenges, problem-solving and teamwork that I will continue to encounter throughout my career as a software engineer.”
Outside his internship, James stays actively involved on campus. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, where he currently serves on the executive committee as corresponding secretary, as well as equity and inclusion chair. He also works as a learning assistant and an athletic department peer tutor for the university.
“These positions have strengthened my commitment to leadership, inclusion and service, reflecting my belief in taking initiative and contributing meaningfully to the organizations and communities I am part of,” James said.
His experiences in software development, mathematics, tutoring and student leadership have helped him develop both the technical and interpersonal skills needed to succeed after graduation.
“My future career dream is to be a software engineer where the platforms, applications and systems that I help build have real-world impact and help improve the lives of others,” he said.
James' experience demonstrates how a single conversation at a career fair can open the door to meaningful career opportunities.
