How Dinachi Utah landed a summer internship with Waymo

Dinachi is a participant in our Formation x Waymo program. The program provides students from historically underrepresented groups with the technical training, senior engineering mentorship, and career coaching they need to succeed in an internship at a tech company like Waymo.

Participants who are fully dedicated to the program and demonstrate high technical ability have the opportunity to interview for a Summer Software Engineering Internship at Waymo.

Could you introduce yourself and share a bit about yourself?

My name is Dinachi Utah, and I'm a Junior at Virginia Tech studying computer science. I'm originally from Richmond, Virginia. Within my school, I'm involved with NSBE and the CS Ambassador program. I also engage in undergraduate research and work as a teaching assistant.

That sounds impressive. What drew you to major in computer science?

I was influenced by a few people in tech who I talked to before college. I did extensive research on my own because I like to be well informed before making decisions. 

Computer Science appealed to me because it gives me the ability to blend creativity with technical skills. It’s exciting to work on cutting-edge innovations, and I enjoy the constant evolution and challenges in the field. You’re always learning and there’s always room to grow.

Can you tell me about the Formation x Waymo program?

I discovered the Formation program through a Slack channel for CS students that posts various opportunities. We had to interview in order to get into the program, and those selected, like myself, were paired with mentors and coaches. We learned different software engineering frameworks and participated in mock interviews. The program also included technical assessments and live coding interviews.

Once we had some preparation, we were able to speak with Waymo. I interviewed for a software engineering internship this upcoming summer, and I will get to join the team this summer! It's an in-person internship in Mountain View, California. I can’t wait.

That’s amazing. Congratulations! What motivated you to apply for the Formation x Waymo program?

I was drawn to the mentorship opportunities the program offered. Being early in my career, I’m really interested in learning from people who’ve worked in the field and getting their first-hand experience. Even if I didn't get the internship in the end, I knew the mentorship and education would be valuable experiences. 

What are some key takeaways you learned from your participation in the program?

I improved my interview skills quite a bit. We did a lot of mock interviews and had the chance to be interviewed by mentors from Apple and Reddit—people who were really distinguished in their careers. I learned so much from their feedback. For example, I learned how to implement the STARR method during mock interviews. 

The coding prep also helped me a lot. I became more comfortable with Python. I was using Java previously, but during the interview process, Python is faster, so I was able to practice with that.

Another big thing was how to communicate better during the interview process. I had interviews prior that I didn’t pass. I was able to solve the coding problem but wasn’t moving forward. I realized it was because I wasn’t breaking down and explaining what I was doing to show that I understood what was going on, and explain my choices. 

Considering your busy schedule, how did you manage your time with school, extracurriculars, and the Formation program?

It was challenging, but the program was flexible, and assignments were tailored around my schedule. This made it manageable alongside my full-time studies and other activities. Everyone was really great.

Do you have any advice for someone considering a similar program?

I’d recommend seizing any opportunity for mentorship. To get the most out of the program, stay as engaged as possible. The opportunity is huge and can help you so much if you take the time to do it well. Absorb all the information you can.