Earning My Voice by damon

Earning My Voice by damon - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

A new strength emerged during my first internship as a software developer, when I learned to advocate for my own value. At the start, I felt grateful just to be there, even though the position was unpaid. I told myself the experience alone was enough, but deep down I struggled with the idea that my time and effort did not seem to count. That tension forced me to look more closely at what I was actually contributing.

In the first few weeks, my work focused on small bug fixes and documentation updates. I was nervous with every code review, convinced that one mistake would prove I did not belong in the field. Instead of giving up, I responded by doubling down on learning. I spent extra hours reading through the codebase, practicing in my own time, and asking specific questions instead of staying quiet. Slowly, my confidence grew as I saw my changes merged and my suggestions taken seriously.

Over time, my responsibilities expanded. I moved from fixing minor issues to implementing small features, writing tests, and participating actively in sprint planning. Teammates started trusting me with tasks that required more judgment and independence. One day, a senior developer mentioned that my work had reduced the number of bugs in a release. That simple acknowledgment made me stop and recognize that I was no longer just “learning”; I was providing real value to the team.

Realizing this pushed me to confront something I had been avoiding: the fact that I was still unpaid despite performing work similar to paid interns. Instead of ignoring the discomfort, I decided to treat it as a challenge. I listed specific features I had built, bugs I had fixed, and ways I had improved existing code. I prepared to talk about outcomes, not just effort. I also practiced the conversation so I could speak clearly, rather than apologizing for bringing it up.

When I finally sat down with my supervisor, I felt nervous but ready. I thanked them for the opportunity, then explained how my role had grown and why I believed a paid position would better reflect my contributions. I focused on facts and results, not emotion. That conversation ended with my internship being converted to a paid role, but the most important change happened inside me. I discovered a strength I did not know I had: the ability to stand up for my work and negotiate respectfully for myself.

That strength has influenced my growth far beyond that single internship. It has encouraged me to set clearer goals, seek feedback directly, and pursue projects that challenge me instead of staying in my comfort zone. When facing new opportunities, I now ask how I can contribute meaningfully and how to ensure that contribution is recognized. Learning to advocate for myself has made me more confident as a developer and more intentional about my future, and it continues to shape how I approach both my education and my career.