Tech Intern Jerfenson Cerda Mejia ’20 Excels at Startup

Jerfenson Cerda Mejia
Jerfenson Cerda Mejia (third from the left) standing with Arin CEO, VP and Lead Software developer

Jerfenson Cerda Mejia ’20 Computer Science Major, Economics minor interned this summer at Arin, a technology startup in Pittsburgh that builds solutions for industry 4.0 by providing location awareness capabilities to vast networks of sensor, machines and workers.

What is it like to work in a technology startup?

Accord to Mejia, “I was a business and marketing associate intern. The overall experience was amazing. Since it was a startup, there were many things to do. I helped generate leads to help the company find potential distributors to sell their product. From the leads I generated, the startup is currently in talks with 5 of them to sign on as distributors. I redesigned and reworked their websites and worked on search engine optimization. I created a marketing plan and gathered content to post on their social networks. The internship was a great experience because the work I was doing was really helping the company.”

Benefits of Student Internships at a Startup

According to Forbes, “If you’re a particularly entrepreneurial student—you like to problem solve, ask questions, and work in a more flexible environment—then an internship at a startup may be of real benefit to you. Any student with entrepreneurial interest should seriously consider working at a startup for a summer during college. You’ll have more flexibility than you would in a large company. It will also move faster, and you’ll have more exposure to real problems.”

Entrepreneurship @Allegheny College

The Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics offers beginning and advanced studies in microeconomics and entrepreneurship.  Students are inspired to experience entrepreneurship by participating in the Zingale Big Idea Competition in April, a funding request presentation contest where student teams propose business models for profit, non-profit or social venture companies. The contest emulates the experiences seen on the popular CNBC broadcast, Shark Tank. Unlike Shark Tank, the Zingale Big Idea distinguished panel of judges do more than evaluate the student team’s business models – they offer constructive feedback, coach and encourage students. Students are welcome to take classes, workshops and discuss ideas with Entrepreneur in Residence, Chris Allison ’83.