The Strength of Neurodiversity: Ayana, Cybersecurity Intern at Dell Technologies, Shares Her Story

Hi, my name is Ayana, and I am from Kirksville, Missouri. I was connected to Dell Technologies through their Neurodiversity recruitment office. I went through the Neurodiverse hiring process and enjoyed it! My pastimes include cooking, playing video games, and lifting weights. Fun Fact: I have owned several different types of pets throughout the years including dogs, cats, and reptiles. I am especially fond of any type of lizard, including Bearded Dragons, Tegus, and Iguanas.

My Internship Experience:

I am interning as a Cybersecurity Engineer on the Cybersecurity Identity and Access Management—Authentication and Directories team. My team has been amazing, and I have learned so much about various technologies and what it takes to be an engineer! My favorite part of interning at Dell has been the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with professionals currently in the industry. This has been invaluable to me because I can now better prepare to become a Cybersecurity professional.

As someone with disabilities, finding a supportive environment can be challenging at times, but not so with Dell! Dell has been so supportive without making me feel "other than." Dell is now my dream company after I graduate!

Best Piece of Advice I Received During My Internship:
The best piece of advice I received was from Joe Dowling: "Spend 15–30 minutes a day learning ANYTHING new that is not part of your day-to-day job." Doing this will broaden my horizons while giving me a mental break!

What a Successful Dell Internship Looks to Me:
Your internship is successful if you have made genuine connections with other professionals and better understand the skills required for full-time positions.

Advice for Future Dell Interns:

My advice for future Dell interns is to take advantage of every 1x1 offer available, including those outside of your team. You will learn more about your intern position and the job in general if you learn about everyone’s job!

To learn more about internships and life at Dell, please visit internships and our stories.