Student Intern Spotlight - Malvika Shriwas

June 29, 2020

UAF computer science junior, Malvika Shriwas, is a Students2Startup intern working for Culture Story this summer.

Culture Story is an Anchorage-based media and education company informing and celebrating the vitality of indigenous cultures today, and inspiring individuals to learn about and embrace their culture and heritage.

Founder and host Alyssa London, says “We started in 2015 selling ‘culture boxes,’ and have since pivoted. Our biggest accomplishment as a brand so far is our series, Culture Stories that is broadcast on FNX, a PBS affiliate, in front of an audience of ~73 million households.”

Through S2S, Shriwas is helping with Culture Story’s website development, launching the “Our Culture Story” podcast, and more. The first podcast will be available soon.

Shriwas first heard about Students2Startups when she and her friends were working during Startup Weekend together. Her friends mentioned that they had previously been interns through the S2S program.

“Summer was approaching and I was applying for internships and then COVID-19 happened so I didn’t really get any internship answers. I went through some interviews and didn’t hear back from them, and some got canceled,” says Shriwas. She saw an S2S poster on Facebook and thought she’d apply.

Shriwas didn’t have any real-world work experience, and she thought this internship would be a good place to try out her skills.

Shriwas, an international student from India, says “I am someone who likes to learn about other cultures, so I thought this would be a great place for me to start. It’s a passion plus professional thing for me at Culture Story.”

As far as whether London would work with S2S interns again, “Culture Story would love to have more interns; it has been such a positive experience,”  she said.

 Beyond computer science Shriwas enjoys painting, and lately she has been trying to go camping and participate in other Alaska outdoor activities. She won’t be in Alaska for long, but plans to make some  memories here before she leaves.