First-Gen UCLA Computer Science Student Overcomes Early Barriers to Land Internship with Nvidia as Systems Software Engineer

Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Wanda Barahona rarely had access to computers. But those early glimpses of technology sparked a curiosity that would eventually lead her to internships at Lockheed Martin and Nvidia, two of the world’s top tech companies.

Barahona’s passion took root in high school when she joined its first robotics team, where she discovered the excitement of programming and watching her code bring designs to life. That experience opened her eyes to how creative and collaborative technology could be, inspiring her to study engineering at UCLA.

Now a fourth-year computer science and engineering student at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, Barahona has come a long way. The transition to college, however, wasn’t easy. Coming from a high school with limited resources, she arrived with little formal background in computer science. As a first-generation student, she also found it challenging to navigate college life. 

Fortunately, support from learning assistants and the school’s Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED) helped her bridge that gap. “Their academic support, mock interviews and company networking events have set me up for success,” she said. “Having that community has been incredibly valuable in my professional and academic career at UCLA.”

Once she found her footing, Barahona sought opportunities to apply what she was learning in class. At the UCLA Library, she worked as a student software developer, helping build tools to support developers across campus. That role required her to understand user needs and implement solutions, strengthening her programming experience and ability to work as part of a team. “Through this role, I learned Python and its many frameworks and libraries by creating microservices and gained experience working closely with other developers.”

“Whether through volunteering or building programs, I want to help spread access to computer science resources in low-income areas and show students from similar backgrounds that it’s possible to succeed in this field,” said Wanda Barahona.

That hands-on experience set her up for success in competitive industry internships. Her first, a remote software engineering internship with Lockheed Martin, tested her ability to communicate and collaborate online. Her next internship as a systems software engineer at Nvidia exposed her to large-scale production systems and system design. She joined a team working on a relatively new internal product made for Nvidia’s hardware developers and contributed to features and tools such as monitoring services and performance regression-testing systems. “Working in teams means your work is constantly reviewed, and learning how to accept critiques and use them to improve has helped me grow as both a developer and a teammate,” she said.

With each new role, Barahona expanded both her technical foundation and interpersonal skills.

“Each internship helped me grow technically by learning industry coding practices and new tools, and professionally, by learning to adapt, ask questions and work with different teams,” she said. “Being able to take feedback and apply it is essential in engineering.” 

Looking ahead, Barahona says she hopes to build a career that blends her technical expertise and creative interests. While she enjoys her work in backend systems development, her ultimate goal is to pursue web development, leveraging her experience in systems software engineering to become a full-stack developer. She is also interested in pursuing game development as a hobby.

Whether through volunteering or building programs, Barahona is committed to increasing access to computer science resources in low-income areas so students with similar backgrounds like hers can have a chance to succeed in the field. 

“I want to give back to communities like the one I grew up in,” she said. “I want to create technology that has a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”

Her dedication and steady growth have earned her a scholarship every year for the past four years, receiving the Thomas Phan Memorial Scholarship in 2025, the Michael and Elaine Pines Family Scholarship in 2023 and 2024, and the Henry B. and Elsie Clay Fund Scholarship in 2022.

Barahona credits collaborative work with other students and the connections she has made at UCLA for helping her translate her technical knowledge into real-world applications. For students hoping to follow a similar path, Barahona recommends starting early even when they do not feel they are fully prepared for an internship. She also encourages Bruin engineers to take advantage of career fairs, build side projects that demonstrate initiative and curiosity, and treat each interview as an opportunity to practice.

“Companies value not just technical skills but especially teamwork, communication and resilience,” Barahona said. “But make sure to prioritize balance. Making time for friends, exercise or hobbies prevents burnout.”