by Gabrielle Cox, Student Public Relations Writer
When it came to finding an internship in his field of study, Levi Larsen discovered that the Cedarville University network was a great place to start.
Larsen, a freshman from Victor, New York, first learned of an internship with Paychex from a friend’s father. He didn’t apply for the internship, however, until he learned of the opportunity from Cedarville’s Career Services staff.
As a leading company in financial management, Paychex is known for its work with small businesses worldwide. So, when Larsen received an email from Paychex, sent through the Career Connect program at Cedarville, he decided to pursue the lone internship offered by the organization.
Larsen’s commitment to finding an internship that fits with his academic studies and interest paid off as he was offered the position for this summer. The double major in computer science and cyber operations will begin working on May 6, just a few days after his first year in college concludes.
He believes his experience in Java was the catalyst for Paychex selection of him for the internship.
“Very conveniently, I am taking Data Structures in Java taught by Dr. Parry” Larsen explains, “I look forward to using the skills I am learning beyond class projects and in the professional world.”
His love of computer science started in high school, where he took three years of Java classes, which began his interest in programming and helped give him a foundation to a potential career in computer software.
With Paychex, Larsen will assist in testing and debugging its code base. Paychex has a large code base because of its clientele, and Larsen’s job is to find the small issues that may come up. He will be working with a smaller team to troubleshoot and problem-solve, ensuring that everything works well for the clients as they use the system.
“I am looking forward to the ‘puzzle aspect’ of the job,” said Larsen. “I will be able to write many tests for the code that Paychex already uses. This experience will allow me to think through ways to make the code more efficient.”
While Larsen has the skills to perform well in the Paychex internship, he now understands more fully the importance of networking as a Cedarville student. As he learned through this process, education is helpful, but building relationships can enhance the learning process--and secure an internship or a new position in the future.