This put up was authored by Abinaya, a 2025 intern on the Failure Evaluation Workforce. 
I assumed an internship meant staying behind the scenes — till Cisco put me middle stage, mic in hand, with leaders cheering me on.
What occurs when an intern isn’t simply welcomed however celebrated? Whenever you’re not simply given duties, however trusted with a voice? My Cisco journey wasn’t confined to a desk or display — it put me within the highlight, not simply as soon as, however twice inside two to 3 months of becoming a member of as a Failure Evaluation Technical Intern underneath Provide Chain Operations (SCO). I didn’t simply contribute to initiatives — I used to be seen, heard, and trusted in methods I by no means imagined doable as a newcomer.
In a band alongside eight different interns, I had an opportunity to carry out reside music on the International Manufacturing Operations and Provide Chain Operations Gross sales and Logistics Management (GMO & S&L) all fingers assembly the place we sang, and performed devices like cajon and guitar, trying into the viewers as high leaders of Cisco cheered on us, not simply as interns, however as artists. It was a second the place Cisco stated, “We see you.”
Performing in entrance of the management group was a surreal combine of pleasure and disbelief. Only a few weeks into my internship, there I used to be — on stage, guitar strings buzzing, surrounded by fellow interns, in entrance of a number of the high minds of Cisco. In that second, all I may suppose was, “How unimaginable is it to be in a spot the place even the most recent voices are heard and celebrated?” That efficiency wasn’t only a musical reminiscence — it was the second I really felt like I belonged.
However that wasn’t all. A number of weeks later, the mic was symbolic, however simply as highly effective.
I hosted an industrial go to for college kids from my faculty, the place I welcomed numerous Cisco leaders who had been additionally alumni, my juniors, and interviewed my seniors who had already transitioned from campus to company to assist the juniors perceive what the leap from faculty to profession seems like, in addition to sharing my very own story of transition as an alumna.
Every thing was full circle — standing at Cisco, not as a customer however as a number for my faculty juniors. I felt a deep sense of pleasure, pleasure, and gratitude suddenly. Only a 12 months in the past, I used to be of their sneakers — impressed by this surroundings. And now, I used to be the one welcoming them, guiding them, and sharing my journey. It felt like my probability to present again, to be the voice I as soon as regarded as much as. Extra than simply internet hosting, it was about inspiring, connecting, and making a bridge 
between the place we got here from and the place we’re headed. I felt actually empowered as a result of Cisco trusted me to steer, signify, and rejoice this significant second
These moments weren’t a part of a job description. They weren’t assignments. They had been born out of Cisco’s perception in folks. It speaks volumes about Cisco’s tradition of belief, openness, and real human connection.
At Cisco, I wasn’t only a line in an org chat. I used to be a part of a narrative — my very own story — and Cisco handed me the pen. I didn’t simply study know-how or enterprise right here. I discovered that when individuals are trusted, they rise. And I’ll carry that lesson with me nicely past this internship.
These alternatives weren’t simply occasions — they had been experiences that confirmed me what it means to develop in a spot that empowers, trusts, and celebrates its folks, irrespective of how new they’re. Cisco didn’t simply let me be a part of the tradition — it let me create it. That’s the Cisco distinction. If that is only the start, I can’t wait to see what’s subsequent.
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