Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) is the world’s largest annual gathering of women technologists, bringing together thousands of students and industry professionals to build their careers and communities. This year’s conference is taking place in person — in Orlando, Florida — for the first time since 2019.

Ahead of #GHC22, I spoke with three Googlers attending the conference — Elena Escalas, Faith Carter and Sabrina Hong — about their paths to engineering and the importance of community.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Elena: I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and studied computer science (CS) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a Division 1 swimmer. I’m a software engineer on the Google TV team, where I work on smart home capabilities. My typical work day includes fixing bugs, prototyping new features, reviewing code and writing design documents.

Faith: I grew up in Houston and studied petroleum engineering, which is the study of extracting and producing oil and natural gas, at the University of Texas at Austin. I’m currently a product manager on the Payments Platform team at Google, where I build payments and identity management systems to help merchants grow their businesses. My typical day begins with an espresso macchiato from the amazing baristas working in my office building. After that, every day is different — but most of my time is spent working with engineers and designers across the company.

Sabrina: I was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the Los Angeles area when I was two years old, eventually studying astrophysics at UCLA. While a lot of my peers went off to graduate school, I needed to find a job right away. So I became an instructor at a year-round outdoor science education camp. A year later, I joined the quantum computing industry. Now, I’m a hardware engineer on Google Research’s Quantum AI team, where I conduct research and development toward building a useful quantum computer and improving the quality of our quantum processors.

How did you get into engineering?

Elena: I wanted to challenge myself to do something difficult. And even though I had no coding experience, I loved the technology and software I used in my day-to-day life and wanted to help create these products. It was difficult to catch up to my classmates who had been coding since they were much younger, but my experience at my first-ever Grace Hopper Celebration — where I met so many women in tech and landed my first internship — helped me stay motivated.

Faith: I was fortunate enough to grow up in an amazing community of Black women engineers who helped me understand the different career paths available in the industry. Watching them create technology that fundamentally improved people’s lives gave me the confidence to know I could do the same. I pivoted into tech, and specifically commerce technology, after traveling throughout Latin America and West Africa. I saw how heavily reliant those economies were on informal commerce, like street vendors and home-run businesses, and the challenges merchants faced as a result. Those experiences piqued my interest in improving and making commerce technology more accessible.

Sabrina: My affinity for the sciences started when I was a kid. I always had a lot of questions that were grounded in science: How do clouds form? How do instruments make their sound? On top of that, I was enamored with all things NASA and the space race, and I dreamed of either becoming an astronaut, or a scientist or engineer at the forefront of a technology. All of that led me to study astrophysics, which introduced me to quantum computing.

Do you participate in any employee resource groups (ERGs) at Google? If so, what does that community mean to you?

Elena: Although it’s not an official ERG, I created a community group for newly graduated Nooglers (“Nooglers” are what we call new hires). “Noograds” hosts social events for recent graduates, and it’s helped me discover a passion for event planning, introduced me to lifelong friends and built a community of over 7,000 Googlers around the world. I’m excited to meet some of our newest members who are attending the Grace Hopper Celebration this year.

Faith: I’m part of the Black Googler Network (BGN), a community for Black Googlers around the world, which has played an important role in helping me feel welcome at Google. BGN has also given me access to incredible learning and mentorship opportunities.

Sabrina: I’m an active member of the Women@Google ERG, a global community for women at Google. Some of my colleagues in Quantum AI and I even started an informal community for women in our organization. I’m grateful to have a community I can lean on for career development advice and support as I navigate this field.

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns, apprentices and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today’s post is all about Sumin Chung, an intern in our Student Training in Engineering Program (STEP), which helps first and second-year undergraduate students develop computer science (CS) skills. This summer, Sumin is working on the Android engineering team in Seoul, South Korea.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m currently studying biotechnology in Seoul. I first became interested in computer science while studying data science, and I recently started focusing on my programming skills. Outside of school and work, I enjoy baking sweet desserts, going to exhibitions (especially ones about history and civilization) and traveling to museums around the world.

What do you work on at Google?
This summer, I’m working on the Android engineering team. My main project is to improve the user interface for a platform that lets people manage their Android device through a web browser.

Why did you apply to Google?

After informally studying computer science for a few months, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to learn more without officially majoring in it. So I started looking for internships that would help me build my CS skills in the professional world. Luckily, I heard that Google was hosting an intern recruiting event, and that’s where I learned about the STEP internship program. It was exactly what I was looking for, so I took a chance and applied.

How did your interview process go?

The entire process — from the first conversation with my recruiter to meetings with my potential managers — made me feel special because of how personalized it was. I felt encouraged to express my opinions, and my interviewers welcomed my curiosities. It was a good environment for me because I was full of questions, not only about Google but about the interviewers themselves. My mom, who was in the next room while I did my virtual interview from home, even said it seemed like I was the interviewer, not the interviewee!

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I mainly focused on studying algorithms. And because English isn’t my first language, I practiced expressing my thoughts in English. Once the interview schedule was confirmed, I tried hard to relax and be confident. I knew everyone applying to Google was good at algorithms, so my biggest hurdle was believing in myself.

Any advice for aspiring Google interns?

No matter what other people think (or even what you think of yourself), challenge those assumptions. It’s important not to be afraid of failure, and if you’re eager to learn and grow, you need the courage to take an opportunity when it comes along. In my case, I’m quite self-critical and tend to limit myself, especially when it comes to my abilities. To overcome this bad habit, I took on the challenge of the STEP internship program. Throughout the application and interview process, I kept repeating to myself that I have nothing to lose, and that I can even learn from the process itself.

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns, apprentices and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today’s post is all about Angela Kagabo, a Kenya-based intern working on marketing projects for the Ads sales team.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Kigali, Rwanda in a family of four children and a super mom. Two words that best describe me are authentic and funny (I might be exaggerating the funny part but my own jokes crack me up). I’m a rising junior, studying international business and trade at the African Leadership University in Kigali. I’m very passionate about women’s rights, my country and the African continent — particularly her stories, people, history and, most importantly, her future.

What do you work on at Google?

I’m an intern with Google’s Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) marketing team, and I’m working out of our Nairobi, Kenya office this summer. I support marketing projects for our Ads sales team, like planning client events. So far, I’ve had a blast working with the SSA marketing team because of all the new things I get to learn every day. I even got to meet most of my team at a recent offsite in Cape Town, South Africa.

Why did you apply to Google?

I applied because I was inspired by all the Google products that have made my life easier — like Google Forms and Google Sheets, my go-to tools for collecting feedback and organizing data. And I wanted more people, especially those in lower-income communities, to know about and have access to these products. Google’s company culture was another big draw for me, as was the opportunity to work on projects specifically focused on Africa.

How did your interview process go?

Honestly, it couldn’t have been a smoother process. Although I went into the interviews feeling nervous, my interviewers put me at ease. In one of my interviews, I remember not understanding one of the questions. However, I felt comfortable enough to tell my interviewer (and now manager), “I’m not sure I understand that. May I have more context?” And she happily explained. As it turns out, not knowing the answer right away doesn’t mean automatic rejection — it actually means there’s an opportunity to learn something new.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

While the interview process was different from what I was used to, my recruiter shared a lot of resources to help me better understand the process and team I was interviewing for. I also spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos from previous Google interns and the Google Students team, and about overall interview etiquette.

Any advice for aspiring Google interns?

First, be yourself. Don’t try to fit into a box you think Google expects you to be in — because there is no box. Second, if you’re thinking about applying, watch videos on the Google Students YouTube channel. They’ll teach you how to create a strong resume and give you insight into the recruitment process. Also, spend time on Google’s career site because there’s a lot of important information to help you better understand the company.

And finally, just apply! I almost didn’t, because I didn’t think I’d actually get this internship, but I’m so glad I pushed myself to do it. If you’re worried about the interview process, Google is rooting for you and will share all the resources you need to be prepared. So go for it!

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns, apprentices and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today’s post is all about Micka Alencar, an intern from Brazil who’s spending her summer on the Google Cloud team.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I study production engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos in Sorocaba, Brazil. This summer, I’m interning for the Google Cloud team! Helping people really energizes me, so I also volunteer with local community projects in my free time, like teaching English classes to children. Outside of that, I like to watch anime and spend time with my family.

What do you do at Google?

I’m a Google Cloud Strategy and Sales Operations intern. In this role, I research cloud market trends and look for opportunities to grow our Google Cloud business in Latin America. Right now, I'm working on two main projects: developing a more structured onboarding process for our sales team, and building a framework for measuring our team’s progress.

Why did you apply to Google?

I decided to apply for an internship at Google because of how closely the company's values ​​align with mine. I’ve always dreamed of working at a place where I wouldn’t just be a number, but an important part of something bigger. At Google, my work is relevant, I’m heard and I can be myself without any judgment or fear.

How did your interview process go?

Google’s interview process was different from what I was used to. Here, you’re evaluated across a broad set of skills, not just your technical abilities. Both of my interviewers were very kind, and they made me feel comfortable from the start. They helped turn that evaluative moment into a pressure-free conversation where I could share my points of view, ideas and, ultimately, who I truly am.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

To prepare for my interviews, I reflected on critical moments in my life and career and crafted a narrative around them. I also visited Google’s Careers site for interview tips and did several rounds of mock interviews with my friends.

How has it been working remotely?

Amazing! My onboarding process was so well organized, and my team has given me the support I need to succeed in this internship. And even though I’m working remotely, I recently met my team in person at the São Paulo office. This was an important moment for us to get to know each other even better.

Any advice you’d give to aspiring Google interns?

First, be authentic and don't try to fit into patterns or create false appearances. At Google, individuality is highly appreciated and is an important part of the candidate selection process. Second, don't diminish yourself in any way — you can be whoever you want to be. And if you think you can work at Google, then you can! And finally, dedicate yourself to your dream and believe strongly in your capabilities.

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and how they prepared for interviews.

Today’s post features Nathalia Silva — a Toronto-based program manager on the Google Cloud Learning team, and a leader of two employee resource groups supporting Latino Googlers.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Google?

I work on the Google Cloud Learning team, whose mission is to train and certify millions of people on Google Cloud. As a program manager, I oversee processes that help design learning content, offerings and solutions for Google Cloud professionals. Outside of my core work, I’m a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advocate, Star Wars fan and soccer lover — Fluminense is my favorite team!

How did you first become interested in tech?

I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, a beautiful city in Brazil. My mom and dad always believed in the power of education, but good high schools are expensive in my hometown. They both worked hard to provide access to a quality education for me and my brother. Through my parents' efforts and the support of my grandparents, uncles and aunts, I was able to attend an engineering university. Once I got there, I earned an academic scholarship to study in Toronto. After moving to Canada, most of my new friends were computer science students. They used to tell me about their projects and assignments, which inspired me to start studying computer science and eventually join the tech world.

Why did you apply to work at Google?

While working with local tech communities in Toronto, I met many Googlers who always spoke highly of their jobs and the company culture. This made me want to join the Google family. I also always wanted to work at a global company that fosters curiosity, and Google definitely does that. Most of my teammates love traveling and learning about different cultures — just like me!

How did you first get involved in DEI work?

Being a first-generation Latina has helped shape my passion for DEI initiatives. Like many other first-gen college students, I struggled with financial challenges, racial discrimination, frequent homesickness and a lack of networking opportunities. So I founded an academic club offering networking events, workshops and career guidance to college students in Toronto. The club earned several academic awards and has evolved into a group that aims to connect women and kickstart their careers in tech.

How have you continued your DEI advocacy work at Google?

In addition to my previous work supporting groups such as women in tech and immigrants in Canada, I've always looked for a chance to help the Latino community. Once I started working at Google, I got involved with HOLA@ Google, an employee resource group that creates community for Latino Googlers and allies. Today, I am a global lead for HOLA@ and a founder of our local chapter, HOLA@ Toronto.

What was it like interviewing for Google?

I loved every minute of it. My recruiter was really supportive, which helped make the process feel much more straightforward. It was also amazing to meet many different Googlers. Every Googler who interviewed me was attentive and supportive, which made a big difference in my interview performance.

Any tips for aspiring Googlers?

Never stop learning. Once you get an interview at Google, I recommend visiting both the Google Careers site and, if applicable to the role you’re applying for, Google Cloud’s training website. I didn't have much experience working with the cloud, so Google Cloud's training website was a key tool for me. It houses a number of resources to help you better understand core cloud products and services. Attending community events can also be helpful, since you get access to industry content and networking sessions.

Any advice for your past self?

I wish I could tell my past self to never stop believing in my potential. For some time, I doubted if I could get a job at Google, and this brought a lot of stress and anxiety into my life. Once I fully believed in my capabilities and knowledge, I built the confidence to apply to the role that I have now!

Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and how they prepared for interviews.

Today’s post features Nathalia Silva — a Toronto-based program manager on the Google Cloud Learning team, and a leader of two employee resource groups supporting Latino Googlers.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Google?

I work on the Google Cloud Learning team, whose mission is to train and certify millions of people on Google Cloud. As a program manager, I oversee processes that help design learning content, offerings and solutions for Google Cloud professionals. Outside of my core work, I’m a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advocate, Star Wars fan and soccer lover — Fluminense is my favorite team!

How did you first become interested in tech?

I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, a beautiful city in Brazil. My mom and dad always believed in the power of education, but good high schools are expensive in my hometown. They both worked hard to provide access to a quality education for me and my brother. Through my parents' efforts and the support of my grandparents, uncles and aunts, I was able to attend an engineering university. Once I got there, I earned an academic scholarship to study in Toronto. After moving to Canada, most of my new friends were computer science students. They used to tell me about their projects and assignments, which inspired me to start studying computer science and eventually join the tech world.

Why did you apply to work at Google?

While working with local tech communities in Toronto, I met many Googlers who always spoke highly of their jobs and the company culture. This made me want to join the Google family. I also always wanted to work at a global company that fosters curiosity, and Google definitely does that. Most of my teammates love traveling and learning about different cultures — just like me!

How did you first get involved in DEI work?

Being a first-generation Latina has helped shape my passion for DEI initiatives. Like many other first-gen college students, I struggled with financial challenges, racial discrimination, frequent homesickness and a lack of networking opportunities. So I founded an academic club offering networking events, workshops and career guidance to college students in Toronto. The club earned several academic awards and has evolved into a group that aims to connect women and kickstart their careers in tech.

How have you continued your DEI advocacy work at Google?

In addition to my previous work supporting groups such as women in tech and immigrants in Canada, I've always looked for a chance to help the Latino community. Once I started working at Google, I got involved with HOLA@ Google, an employee resource group that creates community for Latino Googlers and allies. Today, I am a global lead for HOLA@ and a founder of our local chapter, HOLA@ Toronto.

What was it like interviewing for Google?

I loved every minute of it. My recruiter was really supportive, which helped make the process feel much more straightforward. It was also amazing to meet many different Googlers. Every Googler who interviewed me was attentive and supportive, which made a big difference in my interview performance.

Any tips for aspiring Googlers?

Never stop learning. Once you get an interview at Google, I recommend visiting both the Google Careers site and, if applicable to the role you’re applying for, Google Cloud’s training website. I didn't have much experience working with the cloud, so Google Cloud's training website was a key tool for me. It houses a number of resources to help you better understand core cloud products and services. Attending community events can also be helpful, since you get access to industry content and networking sessions.

Any advice for your past self?

I wish I could tell my past self to never stop believing in my potential. For some time, I doubted if I could get a job at Google, and this brought a lot of stress and anxiety into my life. Once I fully believed in my capabilities and knowledge, I built the confidence to apply to the role that I have now!