Seven’s Story: From High School Internship to College Scholarship

Seven graduated in 2018 from Northeast Early College and is now a student at Metro State University.

He loves working on his SubaruTX, watching and playing basketball, working with computers, and spending time with his family. He is also participating in the Career and College Success Youth Apprenticeship program through which he has a scholarship to attend MSU.

In his sophomore computer science class over four years ago, his teacher, Ms. Gordon, told him about an internship opportunity. 

“She kept pushing me towards it,” Seven said. “I was procrastinating and didn’t think it was something I really wanted … After she told me all the benefits, I decided I didn’t want to pass up a chance like that.”

“After she told me all the benefits, I decided I didn’t want to pass up a chance like that.”

His sophomore and junior years he participated in two internships: one at MSU and the other at KIPP charter schools.

At MSU, Seven joined the instructional design team with Senior Instructional Designer Taylor Kendal. On the team, Seven dove head-first into using Adobe Photoshop, creating 3D designs, running the camera in the faculty interview room, and more.

He learned that he was, “able to turn on his professional mode and adapt to his environment.”

“I learned how to work as an instructional designer, how to act, how to talk to professors, how to make eye contact and shake hands,” he said.

“I learned how to work as an instructional designer, how to act, how to talk to professors, how to make eye contact and shake hands.”

From there, his next opportunity was to help little kids at KIPP in the computer science and technology summer program. His patience was tested, Seven said, but he had a lot of fun and realized he enjoyed inspiring little kids with his own passion for computer science.

During his senior year he applied for the CareerResidency program, “Where they give you an internship and you go to school half the week and then do the internship half week. You pick from a list, put your resume in, you call them, and I kind of just fell into it.”

Now, Seven works in OIT on the CU-Denver Anschutz campus. He specifically works in telecom, diagnosing issues and supporting customers.

“I’ve grown a lot and can go on my own jobs now. It doesn’t feel like I’m an intern, but like it’s my job,” he said. “I go to internship Tuesdays and Thursdays and have classes Mondays and Wednesdays. My second job is with UPS — I’m already a supervisor over there.”  

“I’ve grown a lot and can go on my own jobs now. It doesn’t feel like I’m an intern, but like it’s my job.”

The series of learning experiences have helped him formulate a clear plan for what’s next. He’s declaring computer science as his major.

He also has some encouraging words for freshman at Northeast Early College:

“These are the internship opportunities that you don’t get to see anywhere else. Get a job where they pay you a good amount, and get the work experience that you can gain … it really helps build you up to get a good job coming out of the program.

“They pay for your job! I don’t know why you wouldn’t do the program. You build a reputation that you’re employable.”

“I don’t know why you wouldn’t do the program. You build a reputation that you’re employable.”