At Cloudera, summer interns are vital to the day-to-day success of our business. But the role interns take on is about much more than just learning a business and supporting teams. It’s about taking on opportunities to learn and grow too.
Recently, one of our 2025 summer interns, Savanna Morris, spent some time in Austin, Texas exploring Cloudera’s Week of Learning and all that the event had to offer for those looking to grow in their careers.
Let’s hear from Savanna about what that experience was like:
As part of my summer internship with Cloudera, I had the opportunity to visit Austin, Texas for the "The Week of Learning," an event dedicated to fostering knowledge and skill development across various disciplines. From interactive workshops to community-driven volunteering events, the week offered a diverse range of opportunities for attendees to expand their horizons and gather insight into their roles at Cloudera.
Highlights of the Week
The event kicked off with the first workshop of the day, “Unlocking your Conflict Style,” featuring Raena Mareder, the Manager of Learning and Enrichment and Misha D’ Andrea, the Learning and Enrichment Partner, who both set an enthusiastic tone for the days to follow. The workshop, with approximately twenty attendees in the first session, offered thoroughly engaging content. Not only were the activities interactive, but they also fostered greater collaboration among colleagues. As a result, I had the opportunity to connect with coworkers from various departments who had flown in from all over the States.
Workshops & Interactive Sessions
A key component of The Week of Learning was its focus on hands-on experiences. Attendees had the chance to participate in workshops covering topics such as:
Unlocking your Conflict Style: This very informational workshop discussed various conflict styles applicable to different workplace scenarios. As a part of the activities, we took the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode assessment to discover our most prominent conflict style. Complemented by the assessment, the workshop provided a deeper understanding of personal management styles and their individual shortcomings, fostering self-discovery.
Communicate to Connect: Complementing “Unlocking your Conflict Style,” this workshop offered practical insight into honing communication skills through storytelling. For one activity, we were tasked with matching workplace “stories” to common story arcs. In their concluding remarks, Misha and Raena shared insights on public speaking, emphasizing the core principle of "connecting with the audience, through presence, with yourself."
Udemy Lunch and Learn: Complementing the workshops, a "Lunch and Learn" session was held in collaboration with Udemy, focusing on AI enablement. Udemy provides access to over a thousand AI-related courses, with new content added daily. Employees have full access to Udemy's extensive catalog, including certification courses, to enhance their AI knowledge. Shayde Christian, Chief Data Officer, concluded the event by answering any questions over AI, offering insightful knowledge on this growing industry.
Conscious Leadership: Misha and Raena wrapped up Austin’s Week of Learning with a very interactive workshop focused on "conscious leadership.” Members were asked to self-segregate into card-based groups, highlighting our human tendency to gravitate towards similarities rather than embracing differences. For the subsequent activity, attendees were asked to refer to the Ladder of Inference, a method designed to foster a conscious leadership mindset when approaching decisions based on sets of information. Using the Ladder of Inference, attendees were introduced to increasing levels of data to come up with the best course of action. The result was effective collaboration as well as utilization of differing perspectives.
Season of Service Opportunity
In addition to the variety of workshop opportunities, attendees also had a chance to participate in a service opportunity with SAFE, a non-profit dedicated to assisting survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, and domestic violence. SAFE’s Volunteer Services Director, Stefanie Lebens, spoke on their effectiveness in managing these sensitive situations while also introducing their work to many of the attendees. Following the presentation, approximately thirty Clouderans filled baskets with essential household items such as dish sets, soap, sponges, and trash bag rolls. To further connect with the recipients, attendees also included personalized encouraging notes in each basket. The event fostered a positive and supportive community and atmosphere, with all volunteers demonstrating hearts ready and willing to serve.
Personal Reflection
Attending Austin’s Week of Learning was truly an unforgettable experience. The Learning & Enrichment team did a wonderful job planning this event. As a remote intern working in Global Communications, the event fostered connections with fellow Clouderans, exposed me to office culture, and developed leadership skills—learning more about myself in the process. I will apply the skillsets I was exposed to and encouraged to develop to my life moving forward. Additionally, in an increasingly remote world, the in-person interaction among coworkers was refreshing! I was able to meet so many talented individuals and interact with them in ways I would not have been able to remotely. I am truly grateful for this incredible opportunity.
Looking Forward
The success of The Week of Learning underscores Cloudera’s commitment to continuous growth and education. We can always improve and learn at any stage in our careers to become better, more effective colleagues. I wholeheartedly encourage participating in future Week of Learning workshops and events. Not only will it give you an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues from various departments and locations, but it will also give you valuable skills applicable to all aspects of your life.
Learn more about how Cloudera is furthering its commitment to fostering growth and education opportunities.
