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My Summer @ Google - BOLD Immersion
October 28, 2011
Introduction: We wrap up the
“My Summer @ Google”
series with a post from Kalyne, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania who attended
BOLD Immersion
in New York City this summer.
Take a second to do a Google
search
for the BOLD Immersion Program.
Kalyne presenting to fellow BOLD Immersion participants
You’ve probably already found out the logistical information. Like how there are 100 students selected to travel to the Google offices in New York or California for one week each summer as pre-interns, and that the main goal of the program is to immerse you in Google’s culture through work projects, seminars and activities. The information you’ve found introduces the skeleton of this program. Allow me to bring it to life.
I had the opportunity to go to the New York office in July, and my weeklong experience was nothing less than amazing. You often hear about the unique culture at Google and it’s easy to be skeptical. You really must see it for yourself! From the fun and collaborative environment to the “to die for” food in the cafes, everything is set up in a way that promotes interaction and ensures fun. In the NYC office, there was a huge game area, a massage room, scooters for people who like riding around the office more than walking, a gym, and a free snack bar on every floor.
The part that stood out the most to me was the casually dressed employees. It felt so comfortable and real. I love the fact that Google prides itself on the work ethic of their employees, not how fancy their suits are. I also noticed the genuine enthusiasm of every single leader in the program. They were excited about their job, this experience and, most importantly, delighted about teaching and sharing it with us. The passion that they have for Google shined through every activity and in every piece of advice they gave us. In our free time, I got to connect with the leaders and the other students on a different level. We went to an Italian buffet, a movie theatre, bowling alley, and strolled through Times Square.
BOLD Immersion students listening in on one of the Googler panels
In addition to the fun activities they planned for us, I learned a lot about myself and even more about what Google has to offer me through the workshops, the Googler panels, and the one-on-one talks with employees and executives from various areas within the company. Every person who presented openly shared their story and was more than happy to answer any questions.
The case study was our main project and took up most of our time. We were tasked with creating a marketing strategy that would effectively promote Google’s
Enterprise
products to minority-owned businesses. After being briefed, we broke up into groups and conducted extensive research over the next couple days using whatever resources we could find, including Googlers themselves. The best aspect of the groups was that everyone brought something different to the table. We came from a variety of schools with a range of majors and interests, a fact that gave each group more perspective. After three days of preparation, each group pitched their marketing campaign to representatives from the
Accelerate
team, an initiative that strives to make “Google’s products a comprehensive value-driven solution for underrepresented and emerging audiences.” The top teams were awarded gift cards from Southwest Airlines; my group was runner-up!
This program did so much more than just introduce me to Google’s culture; it brought out the “BOLD” in me. I learned how to effectively work with different personality types in a productive manner. I now treat my resume as a living, breathing document. I also have an incredible and supportive network of people. The immersion program gave me a true taste of the magic that is Google. I can only hope that I have the opportunity to continue learning and working with them through the
BOLD internship
.
Posted by Kalyne Coleman, 2011 BOLD Immersion participant
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