When Claudia Smith applied to intern at SPARK, she wasn’t your typical mechanical engineering student. In fact, she wasn’t a mechanical engineering student at all.
Claudia graduated from William & Mary with a degree in physics – specifically, on the college’s engineering track, a course of study that combines theoretical physics with applied sciences like electronics. “It’s somewhere in between a physics and an engineering major,” she explains. “I wanted something more tangible. I was interested in real-world impact.”
That desire for hands-on problem solving is what led her to SPARK.
Making the leap into product development
During her senior year at William & Mary, Claudia worked on a medical device project that exposed her to the world of product development. She found the process – researching user needs, analyzing existing solutions, and creating something entirely new – deeply energizing. “I really fell in love with the process,” she says.
After graduation, she went looking for product development firms in Richmond and came across SPARK. “I looked through their portfolio and saw projects in so many different industries, from medical to consumer,” she says. “The idea of being able to use the same core skills to solve different types of problems really appealed to me.”
So she sent an email to Bruce Ferris, Technical Manager at SPARK.
“I think Bruce was a little skeptical at first,” Claudia laughs. “I’m not a mechanical engineer. But after we talked, I think he understood where I was coming from. We decided to do a trial run, and that’s how I ended up as an intern here.”
Learning by doing
Claudia says her internship started with a steep learning curve, and like any other challenge, she embraced it wholeheartedly.
“I didn’t know how to use power tools when I got here,” she says. “I didn’t know the difference between different screws. But I’ve loved learning all of it.”
During her time at SPARK, Claudia worked on a variety of projects: a kitchen appliance, sports equipment, medical tools, and RV products. She tested materials, built prototypes, and helped brainstorm design solutions. One project in particular gave her the chance to be involved from early ideation and testing through refined mechanical design and technical drawings, an experience she found especially rewarding.
“There’s so much I didn’t expect,” she says. “My friends ask what I do, and I tell them: I basically break things to see where and how they fail. Then I help figure out how to make them better.”
“A big part of what I’ve learned here is how to be resourceful,” she says. “You’re not always handed a clear process. You have to think creatively, but still rigorously.”
Shane Diller, who oversaw Claudia during her time at SPARK had this to say: “Claudia was exactly the kind of intern you hope for. She wasn’t shy about asking questions, was excited to learn, and had great self-start. You could trust that she would get the work done and keep you updated throughout the process. Her next team will be very lucky to have her.”
Life after SPARK
This fall, Claudia will join Capital One through their CODA (Capital One Developer Academy) program, an opportunity designed for non-computer science majors to become software developers.
“It’ll be a big shift from what I’ve been doing here,” she says, “but in some ways, I think it’s a really natural transition. The problem-solving mindset, the ability to think creatively and build from scratch…those skills absolutely transfer.”
She’s grateful for her time at SPARK, and for the chance to learn by doing. “This internship made me more comfortable in the unknown,” she says. “It pushed me in the best way.”
Advice for future interns?
“Be open-minded, and don’t be afraid to ask questions,” she says. “You won’t know everything, and that’s okay. You’re here to learn. Learn from the experience of the people around you. And don’t be afraid to try something totally new.”
We think that’s good advice for engineering, and for life.