Name: Fatma Ayad
Class Year: 2028
Major: Geology, History
Minor: Environmental Studies
Internship Organization: Bryn Mawr College Library and Information Technology Services
Internship Title: Digital Technology Internship
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
Showing visualizations to participant at Swarthmore’s Tri-Co Digital Scholarship Conference
Over the past summer, I had the pleasure of collaborating with four wonderful teammates on three different projects. From data visualization to conference management, each project was different from the other, teaching us a diverse set of skills. The Digital Technology Internship, aptly named, emphasized digital competencies like Critical Making and Data Analysis and how to apply these skills on hands-on projects. More specifically, we applied these skills on three projects:
- Data Visualization of Bryn Mawr’s Factbooks: The Data Visualization project involved working with the Institutional Research department to visualize Bryn Mawr’s Factbooks and showcase them on the college’s website. We did so by converting static data to accessible and interactive graphs using Tableau, which is a data visualization tool.
- Creation of Lab Safety Videos: In collaboration with the Environmental and Health Safety department, we worked on creating educational lab safety videos for Bryn Mawr’s faculty and students, focusing on graphical presentation, video production, and accessibility.
- Management of Institute of Liberal Arts Digital Scholarship (ILiADS) Conference: As part of the Local Arrangements team of the ILiADS Conference, which was held at Bryn Mawr this year, we worked on pre-conference logistics and on-site coordination. Our responsibilities included shooting a tour guide video around Bryn Mawr, preparing welcome packets, and producing promotional material.
Why did you apply for this internship?
Presenting at LITS Summer Internship Showcase
I applied for the Digital Technology Internship because I wanted to explore how digital tools can be thoughtfully integrated into academic, administrative, and community settings. As a Computer Science major, I’m very interested in the application of technology in real-life problems, and through this internship, I wanted to explore a more critical approach to technology. I was especially drawn to the program’s emphasis on collaboration, accessibility, and critical digital literacy. In the lens of critical thinking, this internship allowed me to approach technology in a more ethical and human-centered way. Looking back at my internship experience, I feel like it successfully helped me achieve all these objectives that I hoped for.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
Presenting at ILiADS Conference
I was blessed to have a beautiful connection with my teammates, who each had their own unique input on the projects. We had a very dynamic and collaborative relationship, which facilitated communication and made the projects run very smoothly and productively. In addition, we all shared three awesome supervisors that led these projects with wisdom, insight, and understanding. Despite all the cool tech I got to learn throughout, all these meaningful connections were my favorite part of this internship. What started as professional relationships grew to be wonderful friendships! I also got to build connections outside of our office, and that is with different departments across Bryn Mawr, like the Institutional Research department and Environmental and Health Safety department, and with different Liberal Arts colleges through ILiADS, like Grinnell College and Carleton College. That helped me expand my professional network within Bryn Mawr and beyond!
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?
Firstly, as a Computer Science major, technical skills matter a lot to me as I am in the process of preparing myself for the technical field. Through this internship, I learned how to use Tableau proficiently and how to apply it in data analysis and visualization. In addition, I learned HTML in order to learn how to embed these graphical visualizations to the college’s website and ensure it’s accessible to all Bryn Mawr website visitors. We also learned video production using WeVideo and video content management using Panopto. Outside of technical skills, we learned about Data Management and Preservation when working with Bryn Mawr’s statistical data, by cleaning and organizing multiple Excel sheets of information. In addition, critical design was also an important aspect to the internship as it made me realize that good design isn’t just functional, but it’s inclusive, intentional, and aware of its social context. As someone who wants to work in tech, I now see ethical reflection as just as essential as technical skill. Additionally, one of the most important skills that I focused on was communication. While it’s often emphasized in workplaces, it can be the hardest to apply as it is skill that involves other individuals. It is the backbone of project management and can determine the success of a project. Whether I was working with stakeholders, project clients, supervisors, or teammates, thoughtful communication helped me understand expectations, stay aligned, and move projects forward. It wasn’t just about talking, it was also about listening, asking the right questions, and making sure everyone was on the same page. Finally, I’m beyond grateful to Bryn Mawr, the LITS Department, and the Digital Technology Internship for supporting my personal and professional growth this summer. As an upcoming sophomore and international student, I truly appreciate the opportunity to be part of a program that has helped shape my journey and opened the door to future opportunities.