This submit 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 a few months of becoming a member of as a Failure Evaluation Technical Intern below Provide Chain Operations (SCO). I didn’t simply contribute to tasks — I used to be seen, heard, and trusted in methods I by no means imagined attainable as a newcomer.
In a band alongside eight different interns, I had an opportunity to carry out reside music on the World Manufacturing Operations and Provide Chain Operations Gross sales and Logistics Management (GMO & S&L) all arms 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 mentioned, “We see you.”
Performing in entrance of the management workforce 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 assume was, “How unimaginable is it to be in a spot the place even the latest 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 couple of weeks later, the mic was symbolic, however simply as highly effective.
I hosted an industrial go to for college students from my school, the place I welcomed varied 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 school to profession seems to be 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 bunch for my school juniors. I felt a deep sense of satisfaction, pleasure, and gratitude unexpectedly. Only a 12 months in the past, I used to be of their footwear — impressed by this setting. And now, I used to be the one welcoming them, guiding them, and sharing my journey. It felt like my probability to provide again, to be the voice I as soon as appeared 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 really empowered as a result of Cisco trusted me to steer, symbolize, 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 expertise or enterprise right here. I discovered that when individuals are trusted, they rise. And I’ll carry that lesson with me properly 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, regardless 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 just the start, I can’t wait to see what’s subsequent.
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