Neha Surendranath’s path that eventually led her to Core Engineering at LinkedIn began at Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology (Sir MVIT) in Bangaluru, India. During her time, she received a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. “During my third year of undergrad, I was looking to apply for graduate school,” Surendranath says. “The Engineering Management (EM) program at USF stood out quite a bit.”
Surendranath mentions that she was impressed that USF’s program bridged all the management aspects of engineering along with the technical courses, noting that the blend of the two was the reason she decided to attend USF. “The diverse community and supportive faculty fostered an environment where I could thrive academically and personally,” Surendranath says. “A lot of my courses—Engineering Analytics, Advanced Lean Six Sigma, and Technical Entrepreneurship in specific—gave me hands on experience and the opportunity to network with external folks.”
During her time at USF, Surendranath worked as a graduate assistant in Physical Plant Operations. “It’s like the heart of the university because it took care of all operations. We ensured that the USF website was up and running and took care of the classroom equipment.” Surendranath notes. “The Physical Plant played such a big role in shaping the initial years of my work experience.”
While at a career event at USF, Surendranath connected with Deloitte—a Business Consulting and Services Company—and was hired as a Business Technology Consultant after graduation.
While at a career event at USF, Surendranath connected with Deloitte—a Business Consulting and Services Company—and was hired as a Business Technology Consultant after graduation. She transitioned to HealthAxis Group, a healthcare startup where she saw them scale from a small company to one that had 700 employees, where she grew into the position of Chief of Staff (CTO) of the Software Development and Operations Management. “During my time, we also collaborated with USF on a Parkinson’s Research Project,” Surendranath says. “I did a lot of data modeling for that project, which was amazing.” More about the HealthAxis Group and USF partnership is detailed in this USF news article.
Surendranath then moved to MHK, a healthcare IT Services and Consulting company, where she worked as a Senior Technical Program Manager. “During the pandemic, I met my husband, and we were a long distance away from eachother for a while with him in Seattle and me in Tampa,” Surendranath explains. “Therefore, I started applying for jobs on the West Coast.” This led Surendranath to her current role at LinkedIn. “The core values of LinkedIn really resonated with me,” Surendranath says. “It was a really good match.” In her role as a Senior Technical Product Manager, Surendranath drives product innovation and collaborates with cross-functional teams to enhance user experiences on the platform.
Even after graduation and numerous successful years into her career, Surendranath stays connected with USF and her peers. “I’ve made some really good friends at USF,” Surendranath says. “These memories and relationships last for a lifetime.” Surendranath advises her fellow international alumni to use LinkedIn to stay plugged in and connected with USF. “Maintaining those connections and building those relationships is key,” Surendranath says. On LinkedIn, there are USF alumni groups that offer a space to create and maintain relationships with fellow alumni and global networks offered through USF World that build worldwide communities of support.
“On LinkedIn, there are alumni groups that students can join and if things are overwhelming or you need advice, USF graduates are only an email away,” Surendranath notes.
As a graduated international student, Surendranath has unique insight for current international students on how to navigate through the uncertainties that come with moving and studying abroad. “On LinkedIn, there are alumni groups that students can join and if things are overwhelming or you need advice, USF graduates are only an email away,” Surendranath notes. “Also, attending office hours makes such a difference. My major professor, Program Director Dr. Anzalone, played such a big role in my life and gave me great advice.”
While building a career after graduating can seem overwhelming, Surendranath is a great example of how perseverance, networking, and hard work can led to a successful career. “I started off really small and eventually ended up managing large-scale projects,” Surendranath says. “It’s about realizing that any opportunity is a good opportunity.”
Read more about Surendranath’s journey in the tech industry.