Students excel at Sprinternship

In collaboration with Break Through Tech Miami and Florida International University (FIU), the Information Technology Department (ITD) is proud to celebrate a successful Sprinternship that was filled with challenges and rewards.

Fifteen FIU students participated in a three-week long internship across various IT divisions. They worked with ITD leaders to identify, assess and problem solve different areas of the department: internal communications to distribute news, middleware to enhance the development experience and data analytics where they successfully created a correlation analysis of incarceration rates. “Over three weeks, we poured our hearts into crafting a valuable page for the MDC middleware group. The connections we forged during this program are invaluable, and I’m eager to nurture them further,’ added Sharon Maldonado, a computer science FIU student and fellow Sprintern.

“I am once again amazed by the power of this program and thrilled to have participated. The students exceeded my expectations by creating functional, deployed software solutions in just three weeks, something I initially thought was impossible. Their presentations were nothing short of impressive. These students truly embody the agile values I teach. They self-organized, collaborated effectively and supported each other to complete their projects. Their technical skills were outstanding, but what truly blew us away was their enthusiasm and professional attitude throughout the engagement,” added Joanna Kelly, agile coach, who helped steer the Sprinterns to success.

The students developed real-time solutions, ready to implement and execute. On May 24, 2024, they presented their work to a room filled with IT leaders. “I am incredibly grateful for my time at Miami-Dade County IT. The experience has been invaluable, providing me with opportunities for growth and development. A big thank you to my colleagues and mentors for their support and guidance, and to Break Through Tech and Miami-Dade County IT for making this experience so rewarding,” said Alejandro Morales, an aspiring software developer, FIU student and fellow Sprintern.

The students forged relationships with mentors and peers, receiving hands-on experience to explore the different aspects of their fields so they can make informed decisions about their career paths. Each student was able to identify their strengths, preferences and areas of interest as they get ready to enter the workforce.

“Experiential learning challenges students to think critically and develop problem-solving strategies. This prepares them to tackle the complex issues they will face in their careers and adapt to changing circumstances. I am impressed with the talent we see in these students; we are honored to help build the future technology professionals in Miami-Dade County. I remain grateful to the wonderful mentorship provided by our team and look forward to nurturing more students seeking real-world experience,” added Department Director and CIO Margaret Brisbane.

Sprinternship was launched through Cornell Tech, in collaboration with the City University of New York (CUNY) and industry partners, to propel more high school and college students into tech careers through education, work experiences and community building.

A special thanks to JoAnna Kelly, Yunior Hernandez, Rosario Fiallos, Sue Camner, Jorge Mederos, Lawrence Embil, Ann Schopp, Jorge Olazabal, Ana Chammas, Jorge Valens and all the leaders and IT workforce who contributed to a successful Sprinternship. We do IT together!