This series highlights Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors who achieved the highest milestone of Gold and graduated from university. Each blog features a different student and highlights their accomplishments, their experience with the Student Ambassadors program, and what they’re up to now.
Today we’d like to introduce Nandini Sharma who is from India and recently graduated from Banasthali University.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
When you joined the community, did you have specific goals you wanted to reach, such as a particular skill or quality? What were they? Did you achieve them? How has the program impacted you in general?
I joined the community on the 4th of April in 2020; I specifically remember because this day revolutionized the way I thought, processed, and networked.
I was not very aware of how things worked in the community, so I did not have a very specific goal when I joined, but I was thrilled and curious at the same time about how things worked and how I could be a part of it.
Once I joined the community, I was quite interested in setting up goals and milestones for myself, so I began with exploring learning paths on Microsoft Learn. Then I had an immediate urge to share them with everyone, so my first event was hosted, and because of that event, I achieved the milestone of Beta Ambassador. It felt amazing to have achieved something, to have received such encouraging acknowledgment. I wanted to do more, so I had to learn more. I figured out a lot of things such as hackathons, sessions, learning paths… it’s a long list. As a Student Ambassador, I achieved all the goals that I set for myself during learning about these amazing initiatives. The program was my source of inspiration and motivation all the time, so it hugely impacted my life for good.
In the program, what was the one accomplishment that you’re the proudest of and why?
There are quite a few. I won my very first hackathon, the VSCode Hackathon, began an initiative called Dev2Be, won an AIGaming event, later organized one, and a few more. But the one that stood out and will always be the turning point for me was Dev2Be, a YouTube video series “where stories of developers are revealed…”. As it was my senior year at college, I was curious about placements, how things work, when you get into a job, and how everyone managed everything. Did everyone know everything? And a ton more questions about how someone reached the success they have. The community was my first place to go to, so I got on a call with a Senior Cloud Advocate at Microsoft to ask a few questions. After the conversation, I figured that there may be people out there with the same questions and curiosity as mine, so I was able to record a session with her that was hosted on the Inspire channel. We recorded our first session and there was no going back, as it was very much appreciated and supported by everyone. We released 10 episodes across 2 seasons (2nd season), and it's gonna continue, as we passed it on to the next cohort. It gave us all a huge learning experience and personally made me overcome my fears.
What’s next for you? What are you doing after graduation?
In my senior year, I got offers from multiple companies and joined Zeta (Directi) as a Software Developer. Zeta is a Fintech, and I have been a fan of how technology has impacted financial industries, so I chose to be a part of Zeta.
From the very beginning, I was very much interested in how technology has affected human life in general and how it continues to impact it. Even in tough times like Covid-19, technology held us close, connected, and productive.
My next goal as an individual is to impact the lives of people with more awareness and a healthier democratized internet in all aspects.
If you could redo your time with the Student Ambassadors community, is there anything you would have done differently?
My time as a Student Ambassador was stunning, and I wouldn't want anything to be any different. The community made me learn so much in all aspects of life and made me realize the greater initiative. It has been an insightful experience, and I would keep it the same way.
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?
If you are interested in learning more about how networking and sharing of knowledge happen in an exceptionally exciting manner, the community is the best place for you. Collective growth and inspiring everyone around you is the core of the community, and that's exactly how you learn about tech and life. DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors?
Communicate as much as you can, learn through the resources the program provides, and participate in calls and events.
The most important part is that everyone begins exactly where you currently are. There are no pros or noobs {editor’s note: this is slang for a novice or newcomer], it is all about learning, sharing, and collecting all the memories.
Do you have a motto in life, a guiding principle that drives you?
Patience and persistence have been my guiding principles. I believe that during the process of finding solutions, problems might stick to your face and blind you even when you have the solution ready. What I have believed in and implemented is that I stuck to the solution and improvised during the process but chose not to give up. The most impactful solutions take time to implement and the toughest goals are difficult to achieve. If it’s taking longer than you thought, something better is going to come to you.
And my motto is: “Find solutions, share knowledge, and always give back to the community.”
What is one random fact few people know about you?
I love music, be it listening or singing or jamming. I am a huge fan of the classics.
We wish you luck in your future endeavors, Nandini!
Microsoft
