About the Program

The Tech Core Summer Internship is an applied learning experience that will provide you with an in-depth, hands-on experience of all components in and around the world of technology. We work on projects for our clients across the university and we specialize in software development, emerging technologies, creative services, marketing, and more. Interns who join our team will be working alongside other like-minded individuals and a team of professional faculty to gain experience in the tech world. Whether your interest is in coding, marketing, visual design, or emerging technologies, Tech Core has a place for you on the summer internship team.

June 6 - August 10, 2022

10 hours a week is all that is required, and the more you do the better you will succeed. With the online, synchronous nature of our program, you are able to customize your schedule, but you are responsible for sticking to that shedule once you set it.

The four pillars are broad categories for the types of work that we do, and they are the fundamental pillars that support any tech business or organization: coding, emerging technology, applied data analytics, and creative marketing.

Weeks 1-2 will predominantly feature hands-on workshops that will introduce you to the variety of technical platforms that are commonly used here at Tech Core and throughout the world of technology. It's okay if you have no prior experience with any of these programs as these workshops appeal to any and all skill-levels, all you need is the enthusiasm to learn.

Weeks 3-10 will be all project-based work where you'll work with your teammates to help deliver projects/outcomes to our clients. We work as a team, and therefore all of Tech Core's clients are your clients no matter which project you are assigned. Some people primarily contribute to one project, while others spread their contributions across multiple projects. You are not beholden to the project you are assigned. You get to choose which projects you are most interested in at the very start and we'll do our best to place you into one of those. However, if the project you're assigned ends up not being to your liking or you're not getting what you hoped out of it, then we'll be happy to reassign you.

By the end of the internship experience, you will gain proficiency in a valuable stack of technologies and platforms while also having numerous projects and opportunities to add to your portfolio or resume. You will also be able to gain a diverse array of business, communication, and project management skills that will help you throughout both your college and professional career. Valuable friends, allies, and references are also an added benefit of being a part of the Tech Core Team.

No. The Tech Core internship takes place both online and in-person. You can participate remotely from anywhere in the world via Discord. And if you're in Tucson, you can come join us at our headquarters in McClelland Hall.

Any/all UArizona students are invited to apply regardless of major or class standing (undergraduate or graduate). We also accept incoming freshmen for Fall 2022 and recent graduates of Spring 2022.

No prior technology experience is required, just hard work, curiosity, and a passion for technology and its influence on the world around us.

Meet the team!

"Whether you are striving to be an inventor, an entrepreneur, a developer or just someone who's curious, Tech Core will always have something interesting to share. The projects and the team are always at the forefront of technology and anyone's opinion is good enough to start a conversation."

- Nafisul Khondaker
Lead Emerging Technologist

“It’s a great place to discover and understand software development, and the talented tenacious and passionate team members make the work super exciting!"

- Adi Banerjee
Lead Builder

“Sometimes the best way to learn something is to go all in, with gusto, persistence, and a healthy dose of "I don't know if I can do this..." Then, you come out on the other side knowing you were capable all along. Tech Core continuously presents me with opportunities to unlock new skills and hone existing skills, and I love every second!”

- Joanna Zabasajja
Coder

"Tech Core has provided me with the opportunity to create something special and to grow as a developer in a way I couldn't have imagined. Not only do I get the change to surround myself with learning opportunities, but also a team and an innovative environment who share the same tenacity and look forward to the future of technology by tackling one problem at a time."

- Raphaelle Guinanao
Database Administrator

“My work at Tech Core has taught me to be more comfortable about leaving my comfort zone. As a result of that, I feel much more confident and set up for my career”

- Bahaa Abdulraheem
Coder

“Tech Core has allowed me to grow as a business professional. My communication, project management and leadership skills have improved immensely and I feel I have the experience needed to start my career.”

- Dori Enzler
Lead Project Manager

“Tech Core has not only provided me essential skills in tech, marketing, and communication, but has also provided me with a work ethic and culture that I hope to bring with me as I further my career. They have leveraged my professional skills to where I wish I would have found y’all sooner!”

- Jessica Elliot
Social Media & Marketing Coordinator

“Tech Core has given me the opportunity to get hands-on experiences with state-of-the-art technologies working on projects that are relevant to the real world. It's always exciting to challenge yourself to come up with solutions to complicated tasks with the help of the fantastic people here.”

- Quan Minh Le
Coder

“Tech Core has given me the ability to both put my old skills to the test, and learn new ones in 3D modeling and rapid prototyping utilizing 3D printing. It was and still is a valuable experience through and through.”

- Alexander Wortley
Student Ambassador

“What I like most about working for Tech Core is the support from everyone else who works here. I always feel comfortable going to more experienced coders for help when I am stuck, and in turn I have been able to develop my skills much faster than I would have without Tech Core.”

- Elise Wright
Student Ambassador

“The Tech Core Summer 2021 internship was a fantastic experience! As a business student, it gave me exposure to a variety of interesting fields of study, including: video game development, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, data visualization, and videography. With more than 100 students from across the university coming together, I had the opportunity to meet interesting and talented people. It was a great way to take learning out of the classroom and into the field with some of the most cutting edge technologies and projects of the day.”

- Evan Zavitz
Student Ambassador

“My experience at Tech Core has allowed me to surround myself with self-starting and entrepreneurial individuals. What I enjoy most about Tech Core is the freedom given to creators. They give us the tools needed to excel and allow us to pave our path under their guidance. The experience feels like a start-up venture and has taught me many valuable skills such as social media management skills, Adobe Creative Cloud program skills, and interacting with clients.”

- Ivan Altamirano
Student Ambassador

“Tech Core has been a tremendously valuable experience to me. Working within the framework of a tech solution company has given me insights into how organized, agile, and adaptable an organization has to be to take advantage of new technologies. I like the collaborative skill-building environment that Tech Core provided, and we are all learning new skills and helping each other every single day.”

- Ken Li
Student Ambassador

“Tech Core is a place I like to call home. Everyone here can lend a helping hand at any moment. Whether you need help with a project or general advice, Tech Core is somewhere anyone can go to in order to find help. Throughout my time here so far, I have learned new skills such as coding and video editing. Not only will this benefit me right now with my current position, but will set me up to be successful for my future. Tech Core is leading the way to the future and it is exciting to watch it all unfold.”

- Matthew Caplan
Student Ambassador

“If you told me that I would be working with VR technologies and Unity over the summer, I wouldn’t have believed you. Tech Core allows you to explore different aspects of tech and to experience what it’s like to work a real job in tech, and I think it will help you transition into the industry.”

- Muhtasim Al-Farabi
Student Ambassador

“Tech Core is a unique celebration of multiple creative minds and students that expresses growth that is very accelerated while also still being able to have fun. It is a very special group of people that celebrate your contributions and share your successes. We are essentially a start-up and we are fueling our growth by consistently improving and moving collectively and producing high quality work that is both enticing and rewarding.”

- Mohamad Jafar
Student Ambassador

"Tech Core gave me the confidence as a developer that I lacked, and has radically shaped my career decisions. I will always be grateful for my experience here!"

- Trevor Hoshiwara
Student Ambassador

Meet the Faculty

Ash Black

Executive Director, Tech Core

Program Director, Strategic Designer: Operations and Tech pillars, Owner: Tech Pillar

Gabe Grateron

Adjunct Lecturer, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship

Sandra Du Plessis

Adjunct Lecturer, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship

Ted McGuire

Community Relations Coordinator

Projects

Here are some of the amazing projects we have line up for summer 2022! Check out the kinds of work and skills you can expect from your internship experience:

3D Modeling Team

Based on the Tech Core "Bench" model, this team of 3-4 3D modelers will power the Game Studio, Augmented Reality , and iVenture Prototyping teams with objects and animations crafted in Blender. Lead by returning veteran Alex Wortley, this team might also tackle 3D printing builds as well, with access to our maker space partners at CATalyst Studios.

Game Studio: Single Player Builds

We'll be assembling 6 to 8 coders and artists most interested in developing single player games to build out our portfolio of titles for our September launch.

Game Studio: Team IO

Our 6 highest performing coders and artists interested in game development this summer will form the "IO Team", a dedicated multi-player online flagship build mentored by the professionals at Addicting Games.

Game Studio: Math Wiz

Puzzle games can be popular hits too, and we'll be pulling from our large pool of Math majors this year to power up a 2 person team dedicated to launching an addictive Brain Teaser title.

Game Studio: Biosphere 2: Minecraft edition

This one is a passion for Ash, who sees enormous growth potential within volumetric gaming for the already immensely popular Minecraft ecosystem. We'll have 2 developers with deep experience in the game to build an elaborate world based on the Biosphere 2, to be hosted on Shockbyte for all to play - part of the Biosphere 2's innovate outreach efforts.

AZ Mobile

This is our flagship Augmented Reality project for the summer and will be the perfect entry point for many coders, marketers, and entrepreneurs to learn about this amazingly powerful emergent technology. With coding mentorship from central IT on both Android and iOS, this large interdisciplinary team promises to be a hotbed of discovery. If we're successful, we'll be in position to roll out this experience to all incoming/returning students in the fall - a UArizona Metaverse experience!

Biosphere 2 Back to the 80s Pop-Up AR

Our modelers and programmers will have the chance this summer to author a unique Biosphere 2 educational and game-like experience in the delivery of a AR marker-activated Biosphere 2 wall poster! Come on, how cool is that!

Biosphere 2: Science in Motion

A new multi-year project to establish a high quality blog showcasing scientific visualization efforts across the University of Arizona. Part strong journalistic writing, part cutting edge visualization, this small team will appeal to interns with strong Math backgrounds and an interest or experience with CSS.

Brand Team

Standing up this Fall's launch of the McGuire Center's iVenture program, this team will focus on brand development for the program as well as growing a Brand Development module to support future entrepreneurs.

Coding Team

Lead by McGuire Center Director John Sharp, this team will take the center into new programming territory with a Node.js based stack heavy on JavaScript with an SQL back-end.

E-commerce & Monetization Team

This is a team for the bold who are ready right now to make a buck. With Sandy DuPlessis at the helm, this team will explore ways to begin monetizing on Tech Core assets this summer and growing a program for entrepreneurship students starting in the Fall.

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

A user-friendly web application that catalogs hands-on learning activities for toddlers with speech, language, and hearing disabilities. Learn the intricacies of back-end, front-end, and database management

Flipping a House for Fun and Profit

Gabe Grateron will lead this team in the discovery of the principles behind multi-variate analysis leading to buy/sell decision in the housing market.

People & Culture Team

Following in the footsteps left by Titans Mikel Chertudi and Michael Mandel, McGuire's own Ted McGuire takes the reigns this year to lead the team that keeps us together - PACO! Join this team if you're a community-minded person with the ability to keep track of a whole lot of faces and you enjoy making sure that everybody in the clan is heard, taken care of, encouraged, and flourishes into a full expression of themselves this summer. It's all about Soul!

Politics & Psychographics

Data can be put to use to glean incredible insights into human behavior. This summer, Gabe Grateron leads us through a dive into what makes voters tick - and how things might go in November.

Tech Core Social Media Team

Do I really have to explain what this team does or how it important it is? You'll be posting to multiple platforms every week, gathering stories, interviews, producing graphics, video and more. This is the heart of the creative division, and we're looking for 6 to 8 interns who can take an idea and run it 99 yards, 18 holes, pole vault, shot put, and basically reach the other end of the swimming pool with it. And that's just the e-sports component!

Game Studio: Biosphere 2 Multiplayer VR

Building on our NANO 2020 flagship VR experience, we're building a VR-based multiplayer game themed around Biosphere 2 and an intergenerational starship. Led by returning veteran Quan Le, members of this team will need to be in Tucson this summer and able to meet and work together at HQ (McClelland Hall). We're aiming for cross-platform capability and a prototype debut end of summer.

UA Sports Analytics

Gabe will lead this team through an analysis of UARizona sports teams performance.

What you will learn

Coding & Web Development

Build robust web applications with a model-view controller (MVC) architecture powered by dynamic data structures on the back-end that communicate with sleek UI on the front-end. Learn full-stack web development using C#, SQL, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Project management & team collaboration

Gain experience developing in a Kanban workflow and learn the ins-and-out of maintaining communication, consistency, and synchronization while working remotely through cloud-based technologies, git version control, and team-based communication platforms.

Emerging Technologies

Dive into to the latest technologies sweeping the industry including VR, AR, 3D printing, and machine learning. Gain experience in high-tech platforms such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender, and A-Frame/Three.js, and play with all the coolest toys including the Meta Quest 2, Hololens, volumetric cameras, 360 cameras, and 3D printers

Presentation skills & pitching

Learn how to present in front of an audience and effectively pitch ideas and innovations to a group. This includes learning how to prepare and present you materials in a convincing way and how to take feedback and criticism professionally.

Applied Data Analytics

Understand the fundamentals of building and maintaining a strong database structure in order to create interesting and informative data visualizations using tools like SQL Server, Excel, Tableau, and D3.js. Gain skills in data collection, data analysis, and data management to provide valuable business insights to our clients.

Client relations & resource management

You will be responsible for maintaining transparent communication with the client/project sponsor regularly. This includes managing their time and resources efficiently, as well as managing their expectations. You will learn how to communicate effectively to prevent over-promising and under-delivering to clients.

Creative Marketing

Create stunning pieces of media and artwork including video production, prototype design, marketing materials, and 3D art and texturing. Gain invaluable experience and skill using the acclaimed suite of Adobe products including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Dimension, XD, and more.

Portfolio building & professional profile

By the conclusion of your internship experience, you will have gained numerous new skills, technological proficiencies, and projects to add to your resume or portfolio. Learn how to design a strong resume and build an online portfolio that successfully showcases your work and capabilities.

Today's digital economy requires a wide array of professionals, which one are you?

The Coder:

Knows their future is in code and crafting the high tech world led by Google, Amazon, Netflix, and whatever new massively successful tech giant the economy burps out this fall. Excellent team building and collaboration skills with a passion for teaching and learning from other coders as they get that this is the secret to world domination.

Enjoys: Logic, clean and well-commented code, and usually a good laugh. Loves making a machine do work for you and not the other way around. Often, also maintains a creative hobby (musician, fine or performing artist, etc…). Most certainly, new challenges.

Skills you will acquire: C#, MVC, SQL Server, API-Development, Visual Studio, and more.

Possible relevant majors: Computer Science, MIS, Engineering, and quite literally, anything/everything else.

The Creative:

Master of digital artwork, front-end design, user experience, video, copy, storytelling, messaging, and brand development.

Enjoys: Brainstorming, illustration, music, laughter, building culture, pushing the envelope, editing, and storyboarding.

Skills you will acquire: Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, XD, Illustrator, Audition, and more. Whiteboarding, and Project Management.

Possible relevant majors: Marketing & Communications, Fine Arts, English, Humanities, Anthropology.

The Data Analyst:

Enjoys wrestling with big problems that can only be resolved through the command of volumes of data and judicious use of analysis and visualization. Is tech-oriented and will readily tackle new platforms like Tableau and SQL Server.

Enjoys: Solving complex problems in Excel. Math-oriented. Loves coming out on top when faced with a tech issue.

Skills you will acquire: Advanced SQL Server for Web Applications, ETL, and visualization. Tableau. Radical Excel. D3.js.

Possible relevant majors: MBA, MIS, Computer Science.

The Entrepreneur:

Possesses passion and a drive to bring into the world a new business, venture, or solution. Leads project forward with unique skills including extreme listening, validation, public speaking, creative, and the ability to wear any damn hat required.

Enjoys: Teamwork, disruption, and the challenge of being first to market. High emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility and seeing teammates/corporate mission/startup venture succeed.

Skills you will acquire: Leadership. Strategic thinking, business planning, validation, user experience testing, and finance modeling. Also, Adobe Creative, writing, and public speaking

Possible relevant majors: Entrepreneurship and literally, anything/everything else.

The Social Media Maven:

Lives and breathes social media with emphasis on establish genuine connections with followers while stewarding the company's online reputation and lifeline to new customers and recruits.

Enjoys: Conversation, corporate responsibility, pioneering new tech, marketing/messaging, and metrics.

Skills you will acquire: Hootsuite, photoshop, writing, premiere, public speaking, analytics and whatever new social media tech 2022 throws at us.

Possible relevant majors: Marketing & Communications, MIS, Entrepreneurship.

The Technologist:

Lives for the future of technology which by the way, is already here. Comfortable exploring immersive technologies and pioneering new modes of technologically mediated reality for education, virtual community, industry, and research.

Enjoys: Geeking and Gaming. Test driving new technology and willing to study tirelessly to keep ahead of the curve.

Skills you will acquire: Unity. Sophistication with Oculus Quest, HTC Vive, and 3D modeling. Web VR and AR, Volumetric Film, and more.

Possible relevant majors: Computer Science, Engineering, MIS. Fine Arts and Humanities.

The Sales Specialist:

Lives to solve the customer's pain point and drive the company bottom line forward, effortlessly, like a Zen Master.

Enjoys: People, Pressure, and PR.

Skills you will acquire: Professional writing, CRMs, Live Video, User Experience, and Negotiation.

Possible relevant majors: Marketing, English, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Business Communications.