UMD CS Students Explore Career Opportunities 

Students carrying resumes and portfolios moved between employer tables at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union on Monday, February 23, as the University of Maryland Department of Computer Science organized its Spring Career and Internship Fair. 

The event registered more than 1,000 students seeking internships and employment opportunities, connecting them with recruiters from government agencies, private companies and engineering organizations for in-person conversations about technical skills, workplace expectations and potential career paths.

Throughout the afternoon, recruiters spoke with students about coursework, project experience and professional interests, while students asked questions about hiring timelines, workplace culture and required qualifications.

Joseph Kirby, a mechanical engineer and developmental employee at Strategic Systems Programs, said he evaluates candidates based on a number of simple traits.

“Above all else, I want to see their personality,” Kirby said. “I want to know if they work well with others, how their eye contact is and how they present themselves. Technical knowledge is important, but I also want to know if this is someone I could work well with.”

Kirby said he noticed strong participation from underclassmen, many of whom approached recruiters despite being early in their academic careers. Several students asked for feedback on their resumes, leading to informal one-on-one discussions about formatting and technical presentation.

“I was pretty happy to see that a lot of freshmen and sophomores were willing to come up and talk,” Kirby said. “Some even asked me to critique their resumes, and we went through them together. It was nice to be able to help, especially since there’s an overlap between engineering and computer science when it comes to technical resumes.”

Students attended the fair with varying goals, including securing summer internships, identifying full-time employment opportunities and learning more about industries aligned with their studies. 

Sowmya Datla, a senior double majoring in computer science and economics, said she attended to explore options.

“I came mainly to look for opportunities with companies hiring for internships or full-time roles,” Datla said. “Even if I pursue a master’s, I wanted to find a summer internship before that starts.”

Datla said her academic preparation included both technical coursework and classes focused on professional communication, which helped her approach recruiter conversations with greater confidence.

“My computer science classes gave me the technical skills I can put on my resume,” she said. “But business-focused and English courses, especially a business writing class, helped me learn how to create an elevator pitch and tailor my resume. That practice helped me approach recruiters more confidently.”

She said she hopes to pursue an analyst role that integrates both of her academic disciplines after graduation.

“I want something that combines computer science and economics,” Datla said. “I’d like to apply what I’ve learned across both degrees in a role where technical and analytical skills come together.”

For sophomore Kevin Ugbaj, preparation began before arriving at the event. He reviewed the list of participating organizations in advance and identified companies known to recruit UMD students.

“I looked at each of the companies attending and made note of the ones I wanted to talk to first,” Ugbaj said. “I targeted companies where people I know had internships because I’ve seen they recruit a lot of UMD students.”

Although some employers had already concluded conversations by the time he arrived, he said the experience highlighted the importance of planning and timing when navigating large recruiting events. 

“The computer science program really focuses on technical skills,” Ugbaj said. “But being at UMD helps you develop communication skills, too. When you can clearly explain what you know and what you can do, that makes you stand out more than you know.”

—Story by Samuel Malede Zewdu, CS Communications