Student Success Spotlight: Sal Camassa

Stepping out of your comfort zone is not easy, but will provide you with opportunities you never would have encountered previously. Sal Camassa is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when you explore options outside of the classroom.

Sal is a sophomore studying Statistics with a minor in Computer Science. As an out-of-state student, he researched schools extensively before deciding on NC State. Sal chose to join the wolfpack because, “this school just throws opportunities at you.” He wanted to take advantage of this perk of NC State by finding an opportunity to gain hands-on experience within his major. Sal explored ePACK, NC State’s premier system for internships, co-ops, and jobs. He found an opening for a Technical Assistant for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, applied for the job, interviewed, and was accepted. Sal has been working in the Career Development Center since January, assisting staff with technical issues such as software usage and connection.

While increasing his computer science skill set through his job, Sal networked with staff at the Career Development Center and learned about the externship program. Externships comprise of a day-long tour of a local business, allowing for interaction with employees and alumni on-site. Sal decided to attend an externship at Ipreo, a financial services technology company providing software, data and analytics to investment banks. He states, “The externship at Ipreo provided an intimate setting where we could see a day in the life of the company.” Sal returned from the externship with a desire to pursue an internship related to his major.

Sal searched ePACK once again, and found an internship posting from Ipreo. When Ipreo received his application, they remembered him from his externship and already had his resume on file. He returned to the site he had toured previously and interviewed with employees he had met on the externship. Sal excelled in his interview and was selected for an internship! This summer, he will be working with front end development and data visualization at the same site he toured during the externship.

When asked what advice he would give to students seeking success outside of the classroom, Sal recommends increasing your network by meeting with people face-to-face. You will form a more memorable impression and increase your chances of being selected for a competitive opportunity than people who reach out over email. He also suggests using the Career Development Center’s services to prepare for your job searches. Sal had his resume and cover letter critiqued numerous times before submitting them to Ipreo. The opportunities are limitless when you step outside of your comfort zone!

Share this post