When I first came to Michigan State University from India, I was excited to study computer science and experience college life in a new country. I had always been interested in technology and building things, but I was still figuring out what I wanted to do within computer science.
I’m now a fourth-year computer science student in the Honors College, and some of my most valuable experiences at MSU have come from opportunities outside the classroom.
One of those has been working as a student web developer with the College of Engineering communications team.
I found the position on MSU Handshake and applied because I wanted to use what I was learning in class while gaining professional experience working on websites. I started in September 2024 and quickly realized that working on a university website was very different from building projects on my own.
With a personal project, you usually have control over everything. You can experiment, design things however you want and make changes whenever you want. When you are working on a website used by students, faculty, staff and prospective students, you have to think much more carefully about what you are changing and why.
Much of my work involves updating and maintaining pages across the College of Engineering website. That can include making layout changes, fixing broken links, updating content, troubleshooting issues and helping with redesigns and content migrations.
One thing that surprised me was how much work can go into changes that seem small from the outside. Something as simple as moving content or updating part of a page can require careful attention to make sure everything still works properly, remains consistent with the rest of the site and is accessible and easy to use.
Most people probably do not think about that when they visit a website. They expect to find what they need and for everything to work. There is a lot happening behind the scenes to make that experience possible.
One of my biggest challenges when I started was learning how such a large website was organized. I already had programming and web development experience, but working within a site with so many interconnected pages and sections was new to me.
Sometimes an assignment that sounded simple required me to study how another page had been built, understand how different pieces were connected or ask questions before deciding on the best approach.
Santhosh Abraham and Ashley Tran have been especially helpful throughout that process. They have helped me understand not only how to make a change, but why things are done a particular way.
Over time, I have become much more comfortable working independently. Some of the projects I have enjoyed most involve redesigning pages and moving content into newer layouts because you can see the difference between where a page started and where it ended.
The experience has also changed the way I think about web development.
Before this job, I was often focused on whether my code worked or whether a page looked good. Now I think more about the person using it. Can someone easily find what they are looking for? Does the page work well on a phone? Is the information organized clearly? Is the experience accessible?
I have learned that web development is not only about the technical side. It is also about understanding how people interact with what you build and making that experience easier for them.
The position has helped me grow professionally as well. In class, assignments usually have clear instructions and deadlines. In a workplace, you often have to understand what someone is trying to accomplish, develop a solution and adjust it based on feedback.
Outside of my College of Engineering position, I have explored software engineering through internships with Delta Dental of Michigan and UL Solutions. I have also worked on projects through MSU’s Burgess Institute and served as an undergraduate learning assistant in Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering during fall 2026.
Together, these experiences have helped me understand what I enjoy most about computer science.
I like solving problems, but I especially enjoy building something another person can use. Whether that is a software project or a webpage that helps someone find the information they need, it is rewarding to see your work become useful to someone else.
As I get closer to graduating in May 2027, I hope to continue working in software engineering and find opportunities where I can keep learning, building and solving interesting problems.
If there is one thing I would tell other students, it is to apply for opportunities even when you are not completely confident that you know everything the position requires.
I certainly did not know everything when I started this job, and I am still learning. That is part of what has made the experience valuable. You improve by working through problems, making mistakes, asking questions and figuring things out along the way.
I am glad I decided to apply. Working with the College of Engineering has given me professional experience while I am still a student, and it has been especially rewarding to contribute to the same website I use as a Spartan Engineer.
Written by Siddhesh Kulkarni, a student web developer with the MSU College of Engineering communications team.
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page