From Community College to Dream School: How Cisco Helped Me Find My Path

[ad_1] Neighborhood school wasn’t a part of my plan. Really, I didn’t actually have a plan in any respect. I ended up at Diablo Valley School as a result of it was handy, inexpensive, and actually, I simply wanted a spot to begin. On the time, I wasn’t positive what I needed to check or how the following few years would look. Most of all, I by no means imagined it resulting in a chance I didn’t even know existed: interning at a Fortune 500 firm as a neighborhood school pupil.

My Cisco Journey Begins <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-476486 alignright" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/IMG_3315.jpg" alt="Man holding a circle of cookie dough with Cisco logo on it." width="450" height="600" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/IMG_3315-225x300.jpg 225w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/WvBeDgkM-IMG_3315-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/IMG_3315.jpg 828w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"/> After deciding to main in enterprise, I heard about Handshake, a college-centric profession web site. With some design expertise already below my belt, I made a decision to provide my new profession a shot. After shopping tons of listings, one job stood out … Advertising and marketing Specialist Intern at Cisco. To my nice shock, I used to be really eligible to use! Quickly after, my telephone rang. I used to be invited to take part in an evaluation heart consisting of a behavioral interview, a presentation, and a group train. With only one weekend to arrange, I left with satisfaction, understanding I did my finest. I’ll always remember the second I refreshed my inbox and noticed the supply letter. I stared on the display in disbelief. Me? At Cisco?

From the beginning, I knew Cisco’s early expertise advertising and marketing program, Amplify, was particular. What I found as soon as I joined was that its flexibility was a game-changer. Interns can return for a number of summers throughout completely different groups, and after your ultimate summer season, you’re thought-about for the full-time Amplify program. There’s a saying right here: “one firm, many careers,” and thru Amplify, I used to be getting a style of it. Plus, the help system is unbelievable. Every intern will get a full-time Amplifier buddy, a mentor, a group supervisor, and a program supervisor. It really felt like the proper match.

Discovering my Footing At first, I felt on high of the world. Then imposter syndrome began to creep in. “Did they actually imply to rent me?” I used to be assured, but additionally conscious that I had much less formal expertise than my friends. Fortunately, my supervisor, Shonya, helped me regain my focus and acknowledge strengths that I couldn’t even see in myself. Cisco is a large firm however the tradition right here is so welcoming and encourages questions, that I began to thrive very quickly. Specialised trainings and interactive onboarding helped me rise up to hurry, and earlier than I knew it, we had been diving into the notorious intern-led readout mission. My group was tasked with presenting a data-backed optimization plan for Cisco’s paid-search efforts to a stay viewers of greater than 500 individuals on Cisco TV. I hadn’t even introduced to 50 individuals earlier than — how would I do 500? I used to be scared, however I knew my help system had my again. When the day lastly rolled round, it was every part I might’ve requested for, and a lot extra. (Shoutout to Yazeed, Ashley, Bella, Riley, and Brooke for being superb teammates!)

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-476487 alignleft" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="450" height="338" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/08/Copy-of-IMG_5597-scaled.jpeg 2560w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"/>Discovering My Path at Cisco Now, again for my second summer season, I’m on a brand new group, profiting from skilled growth programs, and specializing in technique — the world I’ve found I’m most keen about. The great thing about Amplify and Cisco is you could develop in new instructions, discover completely different roles, and discover the work that really excites you. Whilst an intern, I’ve made actual influence by being perceptive and artistic in bettering processes. That’s why I like the place I work: Cisco sees your potential, invests in your progress, and allows you to convey your genuine self to every part you do.

Embrace Your Potential Wanting again, I can see simply how far this expertise has taken me. I’ve graduated from neighborhood school, returned to Cisco for my second summer season, and have been accepted to my dream faculty, UC Berkeley’s Haas College of Enterprise. It feels surreal.

My story reminds us that expertise doesn’t at all times observe a standard path; it’s all over the place, typically hidden in plain sight. With the suitable help, sufficient curiosity, and alternative, I consider anybody can develop into somebody extraordinary. Packages like Amplify align completely with Cisco’s Objective to energy an inclusive future for all. My communication and group expertise have matured, and people vital moments even helped form my utility to UC Berkeley.

Should you’re contemplating making use of to Cisco, my recommendation is straightforward: embrace your distinctive path, observe your curiosity, and shoot for the celebrities. As a result of generally, one surprising “sure” can change every part.