Edward Garcia is a graduate student in Cyber Security Management at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and a part of the Graduate Public Service Internship program (GPSI). Eddie works with OMI as part of the GPSI program and focuses on several technical projects during his internship. He is working on projects that utilize data visualization, Power BI, and Artificial Intelligence. Eddie chose the University of Illinois System and OMI as a first-generation college student because of the tight-knit communities and educational opportunities. Being a first-generation student can be confusing and difficult, but joining these communities has made his journey more manageable. He mentions that despite having online classes and working remotely with OMI, the community aspect of his education and work life have been instrumental in his early career.
Eddie always knew he wanted to work in a field where he could help people. At first, he aspired to become a doctor, teacher, or psychologist. As he started delving more into tech classes in college, he realized that he could still help people while working in a field that interests him. With his role at OMI, Eddie was able to experiment with using technology in the health field and found that there are positions where he can use his passion for helping others and his background in tech. He plans to pursue work in the public sector even after graduation and says that being able to do work at OMI that helps people is a great reward.
Eddie talked about the people when asked what makes OMI different from other places where he’s worked. He mentions his supervisor is always willing to let him innovate and take chances while also being available to help him through challenges if they arise. There are always projects to do and plenty of work to do, but even as an intern, you can develop and innovate while being coached. He feels people are invested in his accomplishments and has never felt like “just an intern” at OMI.
Eddie has become an integral part of the work done here at OMI, and we look forward to seeing what’s next!
