For Computer Science junior, Hemi Shah, the next best thing to come out of her Women in Engineering (WE) Conference experience–a conference funded by the Fowler School of Engineering and Chapman University’s Student Government Association–was an internship offer with Bank of America. This marks the second year Shah has received an opportunity from the conference, having previously been offered an IT internship by Rockwell Automation during WE 2024. 

“Unlike WE ‘23 or WE ‘24, I wasn’t expecting to go in and come out with a job offer,” Shah said. “So it kind of came as a surprise to me, and within day one of the conference, I kind of realized, ‘hey, maybe I do have a shot.”

Reflecting on her success in obtaining her internship, Shah emphasized the career services offered by the Fowler School of Engineering. 

“Samuel Lee and the career center have also helped me prepare for the conference by giving me insight on how to use my time effectively at the career fair and by reviewing my resume,” Shah said.

Shah also reflected on Fowler’s curriculum, which aided her during the recruitment process. “I do like that Fowler is very project-based in teaching. I think those courses at Fowler have helped me a lot,” she said. 

This upcoming summer, Shah will work in the Software Engineering sector at Bank of America.

Before starting her internship, Shah shared her experiences interviewing for her internship, along with tips for current students seeking similar opportunities. 

The Impact of Conference Networking 

This year, Shah traveled with the Chapman University collegiate section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Funded by the Fowler School of Engineering and SGA, Chapman SWE traveled to New Orleans for the annual WE Conference. 

Shah mentions the opportunities made possible by Fowler’s travel funding. “Having that kind of financial stability and resources is really helpful. It lets me go to these conferences without worrying about having to pay out of pocket,” she said.

There, Shah implemented networking strategies to strengthen her standing with a smaller selection of companies, including Bank of America. 

“One thing for conferences that are at a very national scale is that there’s gonna be a plethora of companies, but you only have so much time. I think what I took from WE ‘24 was that you kind of have to put your eggs into just a few baskets,” Shah said. 

While attending WE ‘25, Shah and her SWE co-members navigated career panels, coffee chats with recruiters, and behavioral interviews with employers. “I think for conferences, the interview process is kind of different. The second you start talking to someone, that’s your first interview right there,” Shah said. 

Eventually, after a day of interacting with employers and attending industry panels at WE ‘25, Shah secured her interview with Bank of America.

Hemi Shah and Chapman Society of Women Engineers at WE '25

Hemi Shah and Chapman Society of Women Engineers at WE ’25

Applying Student Experiences to Internship Interviews

Shah relied on her classroom experiences for her interviews, including CPSC 339: Game Planning and Design, CPSC 350: Data Structures and Algorithms, and CPSC 231: Computer Science II, which focused on object-oriented programming.

“I noticed that a lot of their questions related to error handling, and how you’re ensuring that you were creating safe and modular code. For those questions, I referred back to those very fundamental classes. The night before my interview, I went through all of my data structures notes and projects,” Shah said.

Shah also emphasized the importance of project-based learning, referencing her recruiter’s unexpected interest in one of her previous projects. 

“Interestingly enough, my interviewer asked me about my Mario project [from CPSC 350],” she said. “I think it showed my fundamental ability in coding and developing something that’s pretty optimized.” 

From a leadership standpoint, Shah also marketed her experience with student organizations at the Fowler School of Engineering. “A lot of the club responsibilities that I’ve had with Chapman Girls Who Code and SWE, such as leading workshops and public speaking, helped a lot,” Shah said.

A few days after her interview, Shah received a call from a Bank of America recruiter who informed her that she had been offered the job. 

“I remember the day so clearly. My professor, Derek Prate, asked me, ‘how was your conference?’ After that conversation, I got a call from New York. It was the recruiter from Bank of America who told me, ‘You got the offer.’ It was a rollercoaster, but it was great,” Shah said.

Advice for Engineering Students

For many engineering students, Shah recommends getting involved on campus and exploring opportunities to develop the necessary skills for internship searching. 

“There are a lot of resources at Chapman. I frequently host workshops for Girls Who Code and SWE, where it’s a lot about personal branding and how to be confident when you go to conferences and prepare for career fairs,” she said.

Shah also emphasized the importance of finding people who can support your goals. “Finding that kind of community or council of people is really important,” she said.

Now more than ever, Shah advises engineering students on the importance of putting themselves at the front and showcasing their achievements to employers.

“I think having confidence and being able to talk about what you’re doing in school, what skills you have, what projects you have, that’s gonna be your selling point. At the end of the day, you not only have to be a good developer, but you also need to think like a winner.” 

Visit the Fowler Career Services website and schedule an appointment with our Career Services Manager to get started on your internship and job search! Be sure to check out Handshake for upcoming career opportunities and on-campus events.