The Garage’s Summer Startup Internship Program gave five Northwestern students the chance to spend their summer working full-time at alumni-founded startups across the country.
Sophomore Abraham Flynn was one of them, joining San Francisco-based Campground Systems as a software development intern. Alongside Flynn, Claudia Chang, Maanvi Sarwadi, Anthony Chung, and Beatriz Aguiar Fonseca made up the program's second cohort, which expanded this year from three interns to five.
“In the big tech world, to get your foot in the door, experience is so vital,” Flynn said. “After my first year, being exposed to the full tech stack – how to build an app, how to deploy an app, how to maintain an app – that was so valuable to my enrichment.”
The program, which first launched in 2024, matches Northwestern undergraduates with early-stage startups launched by The Garage alumni. This summer, the host companies included:
“They connect you with these specific companies that were once born maybe in Northwestern hallways or during classes. It’s a full circle moment,” said Aguiar Fonseca.
At WingRep, Aguiar Fonseca spent 10 weeks contributing to a rebrand of the AI-powered sales coaching platform, formerly known as SelfActualize. She managed conversations around a new logo, mission, and name.
“I developed so many different skills within the marketing and comms field that I never even did before. I was talking to lawyers about trademarks, I was brainstorming logos, and I was doing focus groups to decide the name,” Aguiar Fonseca said.
Meanwhile, at Campground Systems, Flynn focused on software development while co-intern Chang worked on go-to-market strategy and data insights. The startup creates internal apps that streamline program tracking and reduce the need for 5+ workflow tools.
“I got to work with clients from week one. There were times I met with them independently. That exposure was really great for me,” Chang said. “I got to actually put my skills to use.”
Flynn also credits his and Chang’s manager, Sruti Bharat, for mentoring him not just in his internship role but in his own entrepreneurial journey. Outside of Campground, Flynn built his own app this summer to advance his startup Techy Seniors, an AI-powered app that helps older adults stay independent by troubleshooting computer issues.
Across the country in New York City, Brandon Snower, founder and CEO of menswear company Le Afré, took on Chung as a Website Developer Intern.
“It’s fun and exciting working on a smaller scale, because you can see your work reflected very fast and easily,” said Chung, who led a project to make the shopping experience mobile-friendly.
Sarwadi, a junior studying computer science and legal studies, interned at Change, a donation-processing platform that allows companies to support more than 1.3 million U.S. charities.
She called the internship “the perfect fit.” For students like Sarwadi, the experience was more than just a summer job. It was a launchpad – one that future cohorts will continue to build on as the program grows.
“My co-workers were so supportive, and I could talk on and on about them, but they were absolutely some of the best people I’ve met, ever,” Sarwadi said. “Through this program, I definitely gained mentors for life.”
Looking ahead, The Garage is excited to offer this program again during the 2025-2026 academic year. If you are an alumni founder interested in hosting a student intern from Northwestern University, please reach out to thegarage@northwestern.edu.
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