Name: Devarsh Wali

Pronouns: He/Him

Semester of Internship: Fall 2025

Major: Engineering Management

Current Class Level: Master's Student

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

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

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

Title of position: MBA Fellow (Strategy & Operations)

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

During my MBA Fellow (Strategy and Operations) internship at Presence, my day-to-day work focused on using raw data to support executive decision-making and improve cross-functional execution. I partnered closely with the Chief Financial Officer, the finance team, and product stakeholders to build automated reporting and dashboards, analyze trends, and surface insights that highlighted the highest-impact areas to prioritize. I also gathered stakeholder pain points through working sessions, translated them into clear problem statements and proposed solutions, and drove alignment by creating a standardized KPI glossary so teams used consistent definitions. Across the 10-week internship, I balanced four projects in parallel, delivered weekly updates to leadership, and kept execution moving by unblocking dependencies and clarifying requirements with each team.

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

I found the MBA Fellow (Strategy and Operations) role at Presence through my LinkedIn network while actively tracking high-growth startups. I first heard about the opportunity in early August 2025 and submitted my application shortly after, within the same week. After applying, I received the interview call in mid September and received the offer by late September to start my internship in early October 2025.

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 enjoyed most was having a great mentor and getting to work directly with executive leadership at a high-growth startup. Being trusted with real problems, moving fast, and collaborating closely across finance and product made the work both challenging and genuinely rewarding.

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

I made impact by turning raw data and stakeholder pain points into automation and decision-ready insights for leadership. I partnered closely with the Chief Financial Officer, finance, and product teams to streamline reporting and prioritize the highest-impact areas, delivering four projects in a 10-week internship. My proposed automation solutions were estimated to save about 200 hours per week, and I reduced cross-functional conflicts by establishing a standard KPI glossary that made definitions visible and consistent across teams.

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

My advice would be to tailor your resume for every role and treat the search like a consistent funnel, not a one-time push. Apply early, keep your applications high-quality, and pair them with daily outreach to alumni or team members using one specific reason you fit. For interviews, use SAR-M for product and analytics questions (Situation, Action, Result, with the Metric you helped improve) to show structured thinking and measurable impact, and use STAR for general behavioral questions to keep stories clear and credible. As a weekly target, aim for 20–25 tailored applications and 10–15 tailored outreach messages per day, with 6–8 reusable stories ready to go.

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 MBA Fellow role at Presence was working with raw data to automate reporting, surface clear insights, and help executive leadership, especially the Chief Financial Officer, focus on the highest-impact priorities. UMBC's Career Center supported me with practical resume and interview tips, which helped me land the internship and deliver across four projects in 10 weeks.

Start your morning the UMBC commuter way.

Join us for breakfast with fellow commuters and connect with helpful on-campus resources. There's no better way to kick off your day!

Good Morning Commuters (GMC) takes place every Tuesday from 8:30–11:00 AM *except one a month when Good afternoon Commuters (GAC) is held* and is complimentary with your Commuter Gold Card.

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We can't wait to see you there!

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/ocss/events/149336

Happy Monday! Take a look at the events that will take place at The Mosaic Center this week: 

Monday, 3/9/2026 | Chai Chats x Women's History Month 11-12 PM 

Monday, 3/9/2026 | Unidos x Women's History Month3:30 - 4:30 PM 

Wednesday,  3/11/2026 | Donuts & Dialogue x Women's History Month 12 - 1 PM 

Thursday, 3/12/2026 | SistaCare 3 - 4:30 PM 

We hope to see you at our upcoming events and sponsorships! Questions regarding Mosaic programming can be sent to our email: themosaic@umbc.edu. 

The Mosaic Center and all events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

The transition from the classroom to the office can often feel like standing at the base of a daunting mountain. For many UMBC students, the challenge isn't a lack of ambition; it's the uncertainty of how to translate years of academic rigor into a professional identity that resonates with employers. Whether you are finishing a capstone project or defending a dissertation, the shift from "student" to "professional" requires more than just a degree — it requires a strategic approach to your career trajectory.

Instead of viewing the job search as a hurdle to clear, we invite you to see it as a ladder to climb. By shifting your focus from passive applying to active positioning, you can move from the uncertainty of "what's next" to the confidence of a well-executed career launch.

Define Your Professional Identity

Before you can convince an employer of your value, you must be able to articulate it to yourself. Your identity as a student is built on grades and credits, but your identity as a professional is built on competencies and outcomes. Take the time to audit your academic experiences — whether that's your research, your collaborative projects, and even your campus leadership — and translate them into the language of your target industry. Look at job descriptions of interest for some clues. When you speak the language of the employer, you stop being a "candidate" and start looking more like a "solution."

Build Strategic Connections

Preparation is the foundation, but connection is the catalyst. The "hidden job market" isn't a myth; it's a network of professional relationships that often bypass the traditional application portal. Start by identifying the "rungs" on your own career ladder — alumni, mentors, and industry peers — who are already where you want to be. A single strategic conversation or informational interview can provide the insights you need to tailor your materials and gain an internal edge.

Optimize Your Digital Footprint

In today's market, your professional presence starts long before the first handshake. From your LinkedIn profile to the way your resume interacts with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), your digital brand must be optimized for visibility. Use data-driven strategies to ensure your skills are mapped correctly to the roles you desire. Consistency across your digital platforms ensures that when an employer looks for you, they see a prepared professional ready to contribute on day one.

Reframe Challenges as Growth

The climb isn't always linear. You may face setbacks, ghosting, or pivots that feel like steps backward. However, the most successful professionals are those who reframe uncertainty as an opportunity for strategic adjustment. Every interview that doesn't lead to an offer is a data point; every networking "no" is a chance to refine your pitch. By normalizing the challenges of this transition, you maintain the momentum needed to reach the next level.

Ready to Get Started?

The Career Center is here to provide the tools, the network, and the strategy you need to navigate this transition with precision. Don't leave your career launch to luck — join us for our Climb Your Career Ladder (CYCL) events and start building your future today.

• Climb Your Career Ladder – Community Leadership | Monday, March 9, 2026
• Climb Your Career Ladder – Cybersecurity| Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Your career trajectory is yours to design. Take the first step, engage with the process, and stay ahead of the curve. Just start climbing.