Week 2: Post 1

 As a computer science at Berea College, teamwork is an integral part of my education. We work collaboratively on projects, presentations, and assignments, and are encouraged to communicate effectively with our peers to achieve collective goals. This approach to learning has been highly beneficial, as it has equipped me with the skills needed to successfully operate in group settings. As an intern at WillowTree, I found that my coursework experience at Berea was valuable, as the company has a strong emphasis on collaboration and teamwork.  I found myself naturally drawing from my coursework experiences on how to be an effective navigator. I asked questions and sought clarification when necessary, which proved invaluable when our staff engineer began coding and writing solutions that were difficult to understand. I can tell that the classroom experience shaped me well for the WillowTree experience as I didn’t take the navigator position as an outsider listening in but as an active member in the coding process and providing useful feedback and questions.

Collaboration is one of the pillars of the Willowtree work culture, with team members regularly pairing together on tickets to provide feedback and foster a learning experience for both members. Our team requires constant collaboration between the front end and back end to ensure we are aligned on key decisions. The collaboration mindset comes naturally to me as all of our courses had a strong emphasis on teamwork. I feel comfortable in my ability to work seamlessly in a new environment with new technology, thanks to my experience with collaboration and teamwork. It has been a refreshing experience to see the skills I learned in the classroom being put to immediate use in a professional environment.