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This is the next segment of our blog series highlighting Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors who achieved the Gold milestone, the highest level attainable, and have recently graduated from university. Each blog in the series features a different student and highlights their accomplishments, their experience with the Student Ambassador community, and what they’re up to now.
Today we meet Vidushi Gupta, who recently graduated with a bachelor of computer science from SRM Institute of Science and Technology in India.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
When did you join the Student Ambassadors community?
I joined the Student Ambassadors community in January 2021. This was the time when I started to learn about tech communities, and MLSA was my first.
What was being a Student Ambassador like?
Being a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador was a transformative experience in my tech journey. It provided me with a supportive community and an exceptional program team, creating a safe space for me to learn and grow. Through this opportunity, I not only expanded my knowledge of new technologies but also made significant advancements in my existing tech skills. The program encouraged me to participate in hackathons, where I not only utilized my skills, but also emerged as a winner in some instances. Along the way, I had the privilege of meeting exceptional individuals who shared my passion for technology. Overall, being a Student Ambassador has been an incredible journey, filled with continuous learning, personal growth, and the development of unwavering confidence.
Was there a specific experience you had while you were in the program that had a profound impact on you and why?
During my time as a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador, there were three experiences that had a profound impact on me. In 2021, I was awarded the Microsoft advocacy sponsorship to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC). This experience highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion, and witnessing the safe space provided to women and gender minorities at the conference was inspiring. Since then, I have maintained my association with GHC, attending the conference in 2021 and serving as a mentor in 2022. I am currently aiming to attend the conference again this year.
Vidushi, Gold Student Ambassador, in Amsterdam during her student exchange program experience where she learned how to improve business by using data to drive decisions.
Tell us about a technology you had the chance to gain a skillset as a Student Ambassador. How has this skill you acquired helped you in your post-university journey?
As a Student Ambassador, I collaborated with Jasleen, a fellow Ambassador, on Microsoft's data science and machine learning curriculums. This experience enhanced my skills in R, a language not commonly used in many projects. Acquiring proficiency in R has been invaluable in developing my data science portfolio and giving me a head start in my career. It has equipped me with the confidence and practical knowledge to tackle data-driven challenges and extract insights from complex datasets.
What is something you want all students, globally, to know about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program?
The MLSA program is an inclusive community with an amazing and supportive program team. It emphasizes the power of community and peer-to-peer learning, providing a safe space for diverse voices to be heard. Through MLSA, I learned the value of collaborating with fellow ambassadors, gaining support, guidance, and lifelong connections. I encourage all students worldwide to join this program and experience the transformative impact it can have on their tech journey.
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors, who are just starting in the program?
Five words - Trust the process and learn.
Look beyond the swag, look at the network you're going to build, and grow!
Share a favorite quote with us! It can be from a movie, a song, a book, or someone you know personally. Tell us why you chose this. What does it mean for you?
"You v/s You." This has always been my favorite quote. It always reiterates for me that I am my only competition. This helps me to work on being a little better than what I was yesterday. This quote also helps me to stay away from the comparison loop because yesterday's Vidushi is my only baseline and no one else is!
Vidushi with fellow Student Ambassadors at the Microsoft office.
Tell us something interesting about you, about your journey.
When I joined, I had already experienced gender discrimination in tech. That experience led me to believe that women have to put in a lot of work to stay at the table. I was disheartened but wanted to get involved with a global community like MLSA to understand the importance of women and gender minorities in tech. I started off being doubtful about tech, even though I enjoyed it. Through my experience in the MLSA program, I became a confident public speaker, a mentor, a tech enthusiast, a data storyteller, a diversity and inclusion evangelist, and so much more!
You can follow Vidushi here:
Personal Portfolio Website: https://vidushig.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidushi-gupta07
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vidzene_
GitHub: https://github.com/Vidushi-Gupta
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Vidushi_Gupta7