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Welcome to the next installment in our blog series highlighting Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors who achieved the highest milestone of Gold and have recently graduated from university. Each blog features a different student and highlights their accomplishments, their experience in the Student Ambassadors community, and what they’re up to now.
Today we’d like to introduce Haimantika Mitra who is from India and graduated recently from the Siliguri Institute of Technology.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
When you joined the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors community in January 2020, did you have specific goals you wanted to reach, and did you achieve them? How has the program helped to prepare you for the next chapter in your life?
Since joining, my life has taken a different turn, a good turn!
When I first joined the community, I had very little to no idea about community building or about tech. In general, I was a person with an ambition–I was always up for learning, but I had no idea where to start. The Student Ambassadors community has helped me face imposter syndrome [editor’s note: this is the belief that you are not as capable as others perceive you to be]. The community has helped me learn tech skills that bagged me my first internship, build a social brand for myself, and make some good friends for life.
In my initial days, I used to attend a lot of events organized by my fellow Student Ambassadors and the community. I was introduced to new tech industry leaders who inspired me to learn and grow. I can clearly recall when I attended an event in April 2020 on Power Apps by Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar. She gave us a small assignment to go through a Microsoft Learn module. Being totally awed by her and the technology, I immediately completed it, starting my journey of learning Microsoft Power Platform. After that day, I never looked back–I kept learning and sharing. I was conducting events and hackathons and interacting with a lot of inspiring people. To date, I continue to learn and deliver, but this community has given me everything I ever dreamed of.
In the Student Ambassadors community, what was the top accomplishment that you’re the proudest of and why?
It is a bit difficult to choose one event, because I had so many great ones that I am proud of! But being a speaker at Microsoft Build 2020 is something that I am very ecstatic about. I never imagined being a part of a global event–it was my first and thus very special. From speaking in front of a mirror to addressing such a huge audience, I am proud of who I have become. This event helped me gain the confidence I was lacking for so long. It introduced me to some amazing personalities, and helped me get involved in the community more.
I’ve spoken at various other Microsoft events and built solutions for people, specifically for the black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, I’ve been a part of the Black Minds Matter hackathon and have helped women in my country and the EMEA region upskill on Power Platform.
I posted about what I am learning every day, and as a result, in my final year of university, I was approached by various companies to work on their Power Platform teams. The opportunities I received from the Student Ambassador program gave me the necessary push. Everything else followed, and it was magical!
What do you have planned for after graduation? What’s next for you?
I will continue with community work. I consider myself a product of the community, and I know there are many like me who are looking for a direction. I wish to be that person who can provide them with direction. I will also be joining Microsoft in a full-time capacity as a support engineer. It is a dream to me; all the learnings that I had from the community helped me get closer to it.
If you were to describe the community to a student who is interested in joining, what would you say about it to convince him or her to join?
Most students have a common question: “How do I get started in tech?” I would simply say to them that if they are looking for the answer, this is the right place to be! I shall also brief them on the amazing perks such as the 1:1 mentoring sessions we have, Microsoft Training Certification vouchers, access to LinkedIn learning, tech-specific leagues headed by Microsoft developer advocates, the fun we have in the community calls, and more.
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors?
Embrace the opportunity that they are receiving. Initially attend as many sessions as possible, use Microsoft Learn (the best place to upskill from), make use of all the opportunities that Ambassadors are given, and check Teams {editor’s note: this is the communication platform Ambassadors and program managers use to communicate and collaborate] for 10 minutes a day to make sure that you do not miss on any notifications or opportunities.
What is your motto in life, your guiding principle?
“Technology for everyone”. I am trying my best to bring more people to tech rather than having them be scared of it. I look forward to taking this goal bigger and helping as many as I can.
What is one random fact about you that few people know about?
People have seen the side of me that hustles, that works hard a lot, but what they do not know is, I am a “serial chiller”. There are times when I pull all-nighters binge watching TV or just lying down and doing nothing.
We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors, Haimantika!
Brought to you by Dr. Ware, Microsoft Office 365 Silver Partner, Charleston SC.
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