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North Carolina Central University Intel Summer Associate’s Sound Off

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Interns_Twitter.pngBy Su Suh, Pro Bono Racial Justice Counsel, Intel

As part of Intel’s five-year, $5 million social equity partnership with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law and the creation of the first Tech Law and Policy Center at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Intel launched the inaugural NCCU-Intel Summer Associate program earlier this summer. This fall, Intel and NCCU are piloting a mentor program for students planning to enroll in the Tech Law Certificate Program to help inspire and prepare NCCU students for careers in technology.

As the summer comes to a close and the NCCU-Intel Summer Associates head back to school we asked them to reflect on their experience with Intel. Here is what they shared:

Headshot-Madison-Mitchell.jpeg Madison Mitchell

Q: What was your favorite part of the NCCU Intel Summer Associate role?

Madison Mitchell: My favorite part about the NCCU Summer Associate role was being able to complete projects that were meaningful to Intel and would help Intel with making future decisions. I also enjoyed being able to learn about each group and what role they play at Intel.

Shante Mays: My favorite part of my summer associate position was the 1:1s with Intel employees. They were so willing to meet with me to give advice on being successful at Intel, in law school, and in the legal industry. I am so thankful for the connections I was able to make and the knowledge I gained.

Shante-Mays-1-scaled.jpg Shante Mays

Q: What issues did you learn about/have an opportunity to understand from a law and/or policy perspective?

Moses Washington: I was able to learn about complex issues in Employment Law, Corporation Law, Privacy and Security Law, and Patent Law.

Madison Mitchell: I had the opportunity to explore issues with Patent law when it comes to patent infringement and I learned a law that allows patent infringement when the work is conducted for the government. Furthermore, I explored issues in Employment Law when it comes to drug and alcohol policy and employer’s ability to regulate off-duty social media use.

Q: How do you see the role law and policy plays in changing systemic social inequities?

Madison Mitchell: I see the role that law and policy play in changing systematic social inequities because if laws and policies aren’t changed there can’t be an impact at a systematic level.

Shante Mays: The policies that Intel incorporates into their practice have the opportunity to make huge impacts on social inequities. For example, by creating the Intel Rule, Intel was able to improve diversity and inclusion in the legal industry. The long-term effects of this policy will be monumental.

Intel-NCCU-Headshot_Moses.jpg Moses Washington

Q: How has this internship prepared you for the future?

Moses Washington: This internship prepared me for the future by connecting me with attorney-mentors and developing confidence to succeed in the legal profession. Additionally, I am leaving Intel with a sense of the trajectory of my career path and a deeper knowledge of the various opportunities that exist in the legal profession.

Madison Mitchell: This internship has prepared me for the future when it comes to communication, interpersonal skills, networking skills, and public speaking skills. I learned to speak up more when it comes to networking because you never know what opportunities could come out of the conversation.

Q: What advice would you give to future NCCU Intel Summer Associates?

Shante Mays: The advice I would give is to set strong deadlines for yourself and do not miss them. Eight weeks goes by incredibly fast, and it is easy to spend too much time in one area. I would also advise a summer associate to set up as many 1:1s as possible. The information and advice you will receive in a 1:1 is priceless.

Moses Washington: I would advise future NCCU Intel Summer Associates to come into this role with an open mind and eagerness to learn. From this internship, I was able to have great professional growth. Much of that growth is due to the open mindset and eagerness to learn that I had throughout the summer, which allowed me to learn from the attorneys. Additionally, future Summer Associates should know that Intel will provide them with the support needed to have a great summer. Therefore, Summer Associates should try to become acclimated and make the most out of their experience.

Madison Mitchell: The advice I would give to future NCCU Associates would be to step up and try projects that may be out of their comfort zone because it may be something they end up enjoying. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions because there are many people at Intel that can provide substantial advice that can be used in the future when it comes to law school and the legal profession.