Student Internship Spotlight: Sherman Singh
Class of 2024
Degree:
Computer Science and Cybersecurity
Internship:
TikTok
Location:
New York City
Duration:
Four months
Why did you choose Marymount?
I went to private Catholic schools my whole life, so going to another small Catholic school felt very familiar to me. I thrive best within a tight-knit atmosphere, so Marymount was very attractive in that way. But the biggest thing that brought me to Marymount was the IT program offered through the School of Technology and Innovation. I saw a lot of growth and potential in the program, which really stood out to me. I came for the IT program and stayed because I’ve had such a positive experience overall.
What were your main duties and responsibilities as a TikTok intern?
TikTok has a huge user base, and what comes with that is a need for data security. My team primarily worked with content delivery within the cloud. We did lots of security monitoring, internal audits and implementing new security protocols. My team was relatively small, only nine or 10 people doing everything, so I really got to do a lot of hands-on work.
What was the highlight of your internship?
Through this internship I had the chance to go to the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, which is one of the biggest cybersecurity conferences in the world. I was selected after I applied and TikTok flew me out to Vegas for the conference. All of the big tech companies were there, and it was an amazing networking opportunity for me to meet so many amazing people in the cybersecurity space.
How did Marymount prepare you for this internship?
Of course, my IT and cybersecurity classes taught me the technical skills I needed to know for the internship. But it was actually the seminar classes on career development that helped me the most. Through those classes I learned all about résumé prep, where to look for jobs and how to stand out to recruiters. That really helped me figure out how to market myself and build a network that will help me get where I want to go. No matter what, I never missed those classes! They were the most valuable to me in the long run.
What is your advice to other students looking for internships?
Your network is your net worth. The more people you know in your industry, the better chance you will have of getting those placements and internships you really want. If you don’t have the network you want right now, go and build a better one! Reach out to as many people as you can at the companies you want to work for. Ask them for advice, informational interviews and résumé review. Get your foot in the door and show them you want it.
