Vincent Cai

Major(s): MCS & PhD in Composition
Interned as a Software Engineer at Casey's

What did a typical day look like as a software engineering intern at Casey's?

During my internship, I started each day by participating in daily standups as part of SCRUM ceremonies. Also, like other teams, our team had daily meetings depending on the day, and worked on things like sprint planning, backlog refinement, and sprint retrospectives. Initially, I observed and listened to what other engineers were doing, but as I gained experience, I began contributing to the stories and actively participating. In the first half of my internship, I shadowed my mentor whenever I had free time. He taught me a lot beyond just technical skills, emphasizing that understanding business models is crucial to understanding software.

How did you seek and obtain this internship?

I got this internship from the 2023 All Majors Career Fair.

My friend had previously interned at Casey's, and he highly recommended the internship program to me. 

What skills did you develop or enhance during your time as an intern?

I learned the importance of having strong soft skills. The commercial applications were large and complex, and I couldn’t do anything without help. It was crucial to have people willing to assist because I couldn’t complete any user story without someone demonstrating it at least once from start to finish. I learned not only from my mentor but from all the engineers in our team, and now know which areas I should spend more time on.

What was your favorite aspect of your internship?

Casey’s internship program includes an Executive Speaker Series, where the company’s C-suite (CEO, CIO, CFO, COO, etc.) give talks about their experiences. Interns can interact with them and ask questions. I think this is very helpful.

What tips do you have for current students seeking internships?

• Dress and behave professionally.
• Continue applying regularly until you get an internship. Don’t be discouraged when receiving rejection.
• If you get one offer and they ask you to respond immediately, go ahead and secure the offer. 

Can you see yourself in a future career at Casey's?

I am willing to work for Casey’s if they can provide visa sponsorship, as I am an international student.