Summer in Beijing

Joel Aguero was one of sixteen students selected to participate in the School of Engineering's summer 2012 China Internship Program. The students covered a wide spectrum of majors and each spent the summer with host organizations drawn from a range of multinational and local companies.

This is Joel's story:

I worked and lived in Beijing, China during the summer of 2012. As a UX/UI intern in Lenovo's User Research Center, I acquired first-hand experience performing in-depth user research, conducting extensive in-home interviews and engaging in exhilarating brainstorming discussions to develop and influence Lenovo's next generation of products. This was a perfect position for a product design major. I was relieved to learn early on that I was viewed as an essential, full-time member of the design team in Beijing. They treated me like I was a longtime coworker and friend, which made this experience the most memorable summer of my life.

My co-workers love to laugh and eat together (food is a very important social thing in Chinese culture). The relationships I formed will never be forgotten. It's incredibly rewarding to think that I have a circle of friends in a city so far away. I'll never forget the memories we shared last summer and I'm so grateful I have gained this life experience.

The 2013 China Internship Program application deadline is February 11, 2013. Learn more about the program.