How a Nepali MIT Graduate Landed Her First Tech Internship at Deloitte Through Grace Hopper
When I sat down with Pragya Neupane, a recent MIT graduate, she shared a story that perfectly captures the power of boldness, connection, and storytelling.
One year, she received a fully-funded scholarship to attend the world’s largest gathering of women in tech — the Grace Hopper Celebration in Orlando, Florida. Out of thousands of applicants worldwide, only around 800 students received this full scholarship.
But the event itself?
It was even bigger.
“There were over 20,000 women at the conference,” Pragya said.
“It was overwhelming — in the best way possible.”
The Career Fair That Changed Everything
The conference wasn’t just inspiring — it was strategic. The career fair featured major names like Google, Amazon, Salesforce, and Deloitte — hundreds of company booths, all looking to connect with rising women in tech.
But Pragya realized something critical:
“Everyone was handing out resumes. Everyone had the same elevator pitch. I knew that wouldn’t help me stand out.”
So when she got to the very last company booth — Deloitte — she tried something different.
The Secret? A Genuine Conversation
Instead of launching into a rehearsed intro, she started with small talk:
“I said something like, ‘Wow, the conference flew by!’ and she told me her mom was actually on the organizing committee.”
Pragya thanked her for her mother’s work, shared her own scholarship story, and then — they just talked. No hard pitch. Just real conversation. She later followed up on LinkedIn.
That small shift made the difference.
“That conversation stood out. They remembered me. A few weeks later, Deloitte reached out. I got the interview. Then the internship.”
The Takeaway: Storytelling + Empathy > Scripts
What landed her that internship wasn’t a perfect resume — it was a moment of connection.
“Everywhere else, I just handed out my pitch. But I was just one of a thousand students doing the same thing. It wasn’t memorable.”
Her advice?
Start with real curiosity.
Let your story unfold naturally.
Treat conversations like human moments, not job interviews.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re applying to top schools like MIT or trying to land your first internship, one thing became clear through Pragya’s story:
The ability to connect through storytelling is your most underrated asset.
And sometimes, the very last booth you visit — the one where you just show up as yourself — can be the one that changes your life.