“What surprised me the most was how much I felt included and welcome in the day-to-day culture and workings of Expedia Group, despite being in the office for 10 weeks. From the beginning, my manager was welcoming, approachable, attentive and communicative of his expectations from his interns.”

Maitri Dedhia, Software Development Engineering Intern in Seattle, Washington, concluded her time on the Intern Program in September 2024. During the program, Maitri really made the most of all the resources, communities, and connections made available to EG employees. From Inclusion Business Group activities, to mentorship, and social events, there was plenty to keep Maitri busy this summer. Check out her highlights from being on the program, below.

Maitri Dedhia, Software Development Intern, Seattle, WA, USA

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What team have you joined, and what is your role?

I’m a Software Development Engineering (SDE) Intern at Expedia Group in Seattle, Washington. The team I worked on is the Universal Messaging Platform (UMP) team.

The UMP team is responsible for all Expedia Group and Brand outbound communications. Basically, this team ensures that Expedia Group’s various brands and bookings have consistent messaging and are centrally coordinated. UMP is key to customer relationship management at Expedia Group, ensuring stakeholders avoid communication fatigue (it’s a thing!).

I am on the Custom Tooling and Integrations team within UMP, which is responsible for (1) channel integrations and (2) custom tooling. These are software terms for (1) the ability of a platform to connect with various communication channels and (2) the creation of bespoke software tools or extensions that enhance the functionality of a platform.

What is your summer project? And what have you enjoyed about it?

My summer project is to create a backend service that is part of a new feature to display shoppable inventory directly in email. I have really enjoyed working with my team and am lucky to have an incredible navigator. She helped me learn new technologies, improve my code quality, and plan my next steps when I am blocked. Working on a project with a meaningful business impact was definitely one of the most exciting aspects of my internship at EG.

Why did you want to join the Expedia Group Intern Program?

I wanted to join the Expedia Group Intern Program because I had already seen first-hand the level of support and encouragement that EG provides through the Career Discovery Program (CDP). For example, as an Intern I had a structured system of support in the form of a navigator, manager, and mentor. I am also passionate about travel, so EG was the perfect place for me!

My first impression of EG was through the Career Discovery Program. During CDP’s professional development workshops, I crafted a personal brand and gained important technical and behavioral knowledge. I was left with an impression of unerring support and open encouragement of curiosity and learning at Expedia Group. As part of the program, I got to tour the Seattle HQ office, and the subtle homages to travel sprinkled throughout the architecture caught my attention and showed me EG’s commitment to their worldview – that travel is a force for good.

What surprised you the most about EG?

What surprised me the most was how much I felt included and welcome in the day-to-day culture and workings of EG, despite being in the office for 10 weeks. From the beginning, my manager was welcoming, approachable, attentive and communicative of his expectations from his interns. My navigator always made time for me and quickly built a connection. I felt encouraged to ask questions and express my opinions.

What are some of the ways you have been supported by your mentor?

Having a mentor outside of my team was a really great asset for this Intern Program. My mentor provided me with guidance on career development, real world skills, decision making skills, planning tools, and more. He helped me break down goals into smaller tasks and kept me accountable to achieve them. Despite not knowing my internship project, whenever I faced a blocker and my team was unavailable, he helped me figure out the best strategy to get the support I needed.

What are the three main learnings you’ve had while being on the program?

1. Don’t lose sight of the goal. Even though it can be difficult to remove yourself from tunnel vision when you run into a problem, take a step back and look at the big picture.
   
2. Be prepared to do your own research. It is not always guaranteed that you will have all the information you need in front of you. In order to make your best possible attempt, be prepared to do a little digging.
   
3. Make connections. We learn from each other! Don’t hesitate to reach out for a coffee chat. Anyone can be a source of learning and knowledge; I received new insights from every single person I spoke with.

What has was the highlight of the summer?

The highlights of my summer were the events I attended through EG’s Inclusion Business Groups (IBGs). The IBGs are really unique – they put on innovative initiatives and provide intricate support systems. One example of an event I attended was a talk called “An evidence-based examination of impostor syndrome in STEM” with Dr. Devasmita Chakraverty. This event was hosted by (prepare for the acronyms!) Women at Expedia Leading and Learning (WELL,) alongside Indigenous Diversity, Expedians and Allies (IDEA) and Asian Community at Expedia (ACE). This talk showed me how individuals, schools, and companies can cultivate environments that reduce the potential for imposter phenomenon, especially among minorities. I noticed small details at EG culture that upheld these practices!

Why would you recommend the program to students?

The people and culture at EG! The people I have met and worked with are phenomenal. The company culture really creates a respectful and encouraging environment. There are so many aspects of work life that go beyond the bygone inflexible 9 to 5. During my short internship, I noticed Month of Caring (Expedia Group provides many opportunities for volunteering and gives one day off a year for the same), a dedicated learning day (where meetings were moved so employees could attend sessions to learn about various technical/non-technical topics), inclusivity events put on by the IBGs, a summer picnic for EG employees, a “Meet Your People” event series to connect with others who share your interests, and more.

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