Name: Lahari Vuppalapati

Pronouns: She/Her

Semester of Internship: Summer 2025

Major: Computer Science

Current Class Level: Masters Student

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Kaya Global Inc.

Location of the Organization (City, State): New York, NY

Title of position: Technology Summer Intern

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

During my internship at Kaya, I was actively involved in both functional and technical tasks that contributed to real-time AI customer simulation and product workflows. My day-to-day responsibilities included analyzing dialogue flows, testing the AI assistant’s behavior across various automotive scenarios, and ensuring smooth handoffs between AI and human agents. I worked closely with mentors and team members to validate conversation designs, identify bugs, and offer improvement suggestions. I regularly documented findings, clarified task scopes with my mentor, and contributed to building testing processes for new use cases. Over time, I also expressed interest in participating in more technical development efforts, aiming to deepen my understanding of the product and support the engineering team where possible. This internship gave me a hands-on view of how AI solutions are built and validated in a professional environment.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I obtained this internship position through an internal application process facilitated by the Talent Acquisition team at Kaya. I first learned about the opportunity early in the semester when the team reached out directly. After expressing interest, I proceeded through the interview process, which also included discussions about my background, technical interests, and cultural fit with the team. The interviews were completed by April 2025, and I received an official offer during the second week of May 2025.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?

UMBC Career Center, Handshake, LinkedIn or other social media

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?

The organization fosters a collaborative and supportive environment where asking questions and learning from others is encouraged, which has greatly helped me grow both professionally and personally

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

By proactively communicating challenges and helping streamline the workflow when collaboration issues arose, I helped maintain momentum and ensure deadlines were met. 

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would emphasize the importance of starting early and being intentional throughout the process. Begin by identifying your interests and aligning them with potential roles. Tailor your resume / cover letter for each application, highlighting relevant coursework, projects, or personal initiatives. Once you apply, keep track of deadlines, follow up when needed, and prepare well for interviews. Practice articulating your experiences clearly and confidently. After landing the internship, be proactive in your contributions. Take initiative, ask thoughtful questions, and build connections with team members. Approach even the smallest tasks with dedication, as each one contributes to your learning. Show consistent growth, ask for feedback, and express interest in more responsibility when appropriate.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

What I liked most about my position was the constant feedback and update sessions with my HR, and the active engagement and support whenever we wanted to build or explore something new. The Career Center’s resume review helped me present my experiences more professionally, which gave me the confidence to pursue and secure this opportunity.

Name: Mustafa Akpinar

Pronouns: He/Him

Semester of Internship: Summer 2025

Major: Information Systems 

Current Class Level: Senior

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): AstraZeneca

Location of the Organization (City, State): Gaithersburg, Maryland  

Title of position: Cyber Threat Intelligence Intern

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

This summer, I am interning at AstraZeneca as a Cyber Threat Intelligence Intern, where I support the global security team in identifying and analyzing cyber threats. My day-to-day responsibilities include creating reports on Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), third-party assessments (3PA), and vulnerabilities. I use tools like Confluence and Jira to document findings, track progress, and contribute to team workflows. In addition to technical work, I regularly respond to emails, attend team meetings, and participate in collaborative discussions with security professionals. Beyond the technical experience, AstraZeneca offers engaging intern events such as rooftop socials, site visits, and even a team outing to a baseball game, which have helped me build connections across the company!

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I discovered the internship on LinkedIn and applied cold in November 2024. The process moved slowly, and although I initially received a rejection, I was later thrilled to learn the position had reopened—and I was offered the role in March 2025! The interview process consisted of one Zoom meeting with my department manager, where she asked questions about my resume and my experience with tools listed in the job description. I officially began the internship at the end of May and will continue through the end of August. It’s been an exciting journey, especially with the unexpected turn of events that led to this incredible opportunity!

What resources did you use to find your current experience?

LinkedIn or other social media

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?

What I’ve enjoyed most about my internship at AstraZeneca is the balance between technical growth and community engagement. Not only have I been able to develop my skills in cyber threat intelligence and work on real-world reports that contribute to the organization’s security posture, but I’ve also been part of an incredibly welcoming and supportive team. The intern programming—from rooftop socials to site visits—made the experience even more memorable and helped me feel like a true part of the company.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

Through my reports on APTs, third-party risks, and vulnerabilities, I’ve helped inform decision-makers and enhance AstraZeneca’s ability to stay ahead of potential threats. By organizing detailed and timely information, I’ve contributed to risk awareness and mitigation efforts across the security team. My work has supported real action—and knowing that my efforts help protect a global healthcare organization makes the experience incredibly meaningful.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Don’t be afraid to cold apply and keep putting yourself out there, even if you face rejection. Rejections are not the end—they’re often redirections. Make sure your resume is clear and tailored to the role, and be ready to speak confidently about your experiences and the tools you know. Also, don’t underestimate the value of persistence. My internship offer came after I had already been rejected, which proves you never know when the door might open again.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

“What I liked most about my position was being trusted to work on real cybersecurity challenges that matter. The Career Center’s resume guidance and internship tips helped me feel prepared when opportunities finally came my way.”

We are excited to announce that we have a few spots for CWIT Affiliates to participate in CWIT’s Industry Mentoring Program (IMP) for the 2025-26 academic year. If you are selected, you will be matched with a professional in a computing or engineering field to help guide you through your academic and professional journey.

Mentors are professionals with at least three years of full-time experience in computing and engineering fields. This is a great chance to get one-on-one advice and insight from someone working in an area you're interested in!

Who Can Apply

To be eligible, you must be a CWIT Affiliate who is a sophomore, junior, or senior.

Program Commitment

This is a semester-long practicum that requires a few commitments on your part. Please only apply if you are able to:

• Attend all practicum sessions on the following dates:

• Fridays, 3:00-4:30pm: September 26 (on campus), October 10 (on campus), October 24 (on campus), November 7 (online), and November 14 (online).

• Meet with your assigned mentor once per month throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.

How to Apply

Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. For the best chance of being matched with a mentor, apply early. The final deadline to submit your application is Monday, September 8th. We'll notify all students by Monday, September 15th.  

Apply Here

We are committed to making the best possible matches based on best fit and mentor availability, so please note that not all applicants will receive a mentor.

NSF awarded UMBC a third grant to continue its Scholarship for Service (SFS) cybersecurity scholarship program directed by CSEE professors Alan T. Sherman (PI) and Roberto Yus (CoPI). The three-year award will support five new scholars majoring in a computing program at the undergraduate or graduate level. Scholars receive tuition, fees, and a stipend for professional expenses. In return, they must work for a government agency for a semester or summer in each year of support. Scholars must be US citizens or permanent residents. Prospective scholars may apply by noon, September 12, 2025, via Scholarship Retriever.

CSEE faculty Sherman (PI) and Richard Forno (CoPI) have directed UMBC’s SFS program since 2012, bringing over 12 million dollars to support cybersecurity at UMBC, including funds for scholarships and research activities of Sherman’s Cyber Defense Lab (CDL). UMBC has graduated over 100 SFS scholars, placing UMBC fifth in the nation for the number of SFS graduates. UMBC SFS scholars engage in research and hands-on learning. Each January, they participate in a collaborative research project to analyze the security of some aspect of the UMBC network. In 2025, the scholars analyzed the security and privacy of a prototype of the new myUMBC search that integrates ChatGPT.

Reflecting the growing importance of AI and changing government funding priorities, the new undergraduate SFS scholars will be required to take four AI courses in addition to completing the cybersecurity track course requirements.