I had the option to intern in person, but there is no Cisco office near me, so I went fully remote as a technical sales engineer intern. When I pictured a remote internship, I imagined eating lunch alone, awkward video calls, and watching other interns post pictures while I sat at home. I figured I’d learn a lot, but I assumed the connection everyone says matters most just wouldn’t be there for me. Because she prioritizes that human connection, our team never feels like a group of names on a screen. Cisco did not just make a remote internship work.