Career Services Success Story: Parssa Sazdar

03/02/2020

Parssa Sazdar, a computer science major in the College of Arts and Sciences, was drawn to working with Saint Louis University’s Career Services Center because he needed someone to proofread his resume before he began applying for internships.

SLU sophomore Parssa Sazdar sits in the Career Services Center with a banner in the background and job hunting materials in front of him.

Sophomore Parssa Sazdar landed a dream computer software engineering internship for summer 2020 after working with SLU's Career Services Center. Photo by Amelia Flood

However, the help he got went far beyond a simple edit.

“I had a very positive experience with Career Services, and I benefited a lot,” Sazdar said.

“The center is very valuable to SLU students because it gives them a one stop shop for any career related questions or support, and it embodies SLU's holistic mission and cura personalis because they understand that every individual who comes through the door is different and they cater to each student on an individual basis based on their goals and interests," he continued.

The center’s staff members not only helped with his resume, but also suggested new ways of organizing and tailoring it to fit the kinds of software development positions that interested him.

Sazdar also turned to SLU career counselors as he struggled to decide between offers from multiple software engineering internships for summer 2020.

Despite pressure to decide quickly, Sazdar followed advice from Floyd Welsh, director of career services, to push for more time to make up his mind. The move gave Sazdar the space he needed and he was able to pursue his first-choice opportunity.

The AT&T internship will expose Sazdar work in areas from software defined networks to 5G and state-of the art technology. Mentorship and a collaborative peer group are also features of the program.

“I couldn't be more excited,” Sazdar said. “I was very grateful and excited to have received multiple internship offers from such amazing companies, however it did leave me with a tough choice to make.”

“Floyd really came through for me – he was understanding, positive, accommodating and a major asset to me during my internship search,” he continued.

What He's Looking Forward to This Summer?

“I am excited for the opportunity to work in a driven team who have a passion for technology. This internship will allow me the opportunity to learn new technologies and improve my programming skills. I believe that the internship will help me gain industry experience in technology which will help greatly after I graduate.”

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers nearly 13,000 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.

Written and photographed by Amelia Flood, University Marketing and Communications.