Ian - San Jose 2005
Meet Ian - Extreme Blue Class of 2005
Ian was a business intern for Extreme Blue™ in San Jose. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Oberlin College and is now working towards his MBA at the University of Washington. Ian will graduate in May 2006. Born in Seattle, he grew up in Massachusetts before moving back to the Northwest for high school.
Why do you think you were selected for the Extreme Blue internship?
I think one important factor was that I had the technical skills and knowledge needed for this particular project, and the ability to communicate those skills in plain English. I have also been able to demonstrate experience with the Internet in general, including having co-founded a successful political news website.
What inspired you to apply for Extreme Blue?
I was introduced to Extreme Blue at a site visit in San Jose. Extreme Blue is unlike anything else...it's cross-functional and team-based! It was relevant to my career interest because it exposed me to product development from the marketing side. Working with cutting-edge technologies is also a big plus.
Briefly describe what our day-to-day activities and responsibilities included.
My team and I constantly discussed WebFountain's progress and future with marketing, development, and client teams around the country. I conducted market research–competitive, potential clients, potential partners, etc. In addition, I engaged in project management–development task planning, assignments, and deadlines–to help make sure we were always working toward our goals.
As a business intern, what impact did the technical interns have on you?
The technical interns impressed me with their broad range of skills- technical and not. They had great insight into developing products into what customers want to use and understand what customers need. This was a great check on me because they can let me know what is truly needed. As a whole, everything has been a team effort, which I constantly appreciate.
Were there any surprises about this commitment?
The biggest surprise for me was exactly how much latitude my team was given in defining the scope of our project. Everyone in the program was committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals, however, so we were excited to define our problem and then move to solve it–and more–in the space of just a few weeks.
How did your experiences prepare you for the Extreme Blue experience?
I think my technical experience has been critical because it allowed me to effectively communicate with the team and understand the issues we are all facing. I have previously worked as a network administrator and engineer, and through school I am very comfortable working in team situations.
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Alumni quote
"The biggest surprise for me was exactly how much latitude my team was given in defining the scope of our project. Everyone in the program was committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals. So we were excited to define our problem and then move to solve it–and more–in the space of just a few weeks."