IBM Intern Living With Neurofibromatosis Shares His Top Career Lessons

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gogi Benny, a 21-year-old computer science student who interns at IBM and has neurofibromatosis. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I started thinking about a career in tech in middle school.

I was born with neurofibromatosis, a condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves. As a preteen, I was introduced by a school nurse to an organization called the Little Baby Face Foundation that helped treat the tumors. I knew then I wasn’t going to let my condition affect my career path.

I decided to apply to a high school where I could work toward an associate degree in web development while earning my high school diploma. It’s what’s called a P-Tech school, short for Pathways in Technology Early College High School.

In my junior year, in 2022, I landed a summer consulting internship with IBM. When I started, I was doing mostly surface-level administrative tasks, but it was educational and a good introduction to what a corporate career looks like. I applied again the following year for a level two internship, and was placed on a team working on web analytics. That’s where the real tech work began. I tested websites to make sure everything worked smoothly.

At the end of that summer, IBM extended my position. They don’t offer this to every intern. I stayed on board after my senior year, and now I’m a co-op student earning my degree at Western Connecticut State University while working part-time at IBM.

I’ve been an intern for about three years now. I’m still learning, but my job has taught me a few big lessons about how to get ahead in the corporate world so far.

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I learned to approach people first

My condition causes tumors on my head and jawline, making it difficult for me to smile. I’ve never been bullied for looking different, but my appearance may not make me look approachable to new people. This makes it harder for me to network and talk to people.

Sometimes, my speech also gets in the way when I’m working. I’m not as clear as I try to be. I stumble over my words, and it’s hard.

Still, I’m trying to network, make connections in and out of IBM, and make use of opportunities at school. I’ve put myself out there by giving presentations with other interns, and I enjoy working with my team. They’re very nice and considerate.

Be an active team member

I was recently asked for advice by a high school student who recognized me from IBM. I told him to get involved in school activities and be an active member of projects at IBM. That can help you stand out. For example, I participated in a student news network that was run by an IBM employee.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed working in a corporate environment coming out of high school, but internships are designed to prepare you for the workload at the next stage. Make the most of your opportunities.

It’s better to over-communicate

I also advise other interns to ask a lot of questions, try to pay attention, and do the work. My condition has helped me learn how to communicate effectively.

For example, I’ve had to have several surgeries over the years, and I didn’t always give my manager as much notice as I should have. But I learned from my mistakes.

For a surgery I have coming up in October, I told them as soon as I found out about it. We planned for it, and everyone has been so understanding. They understand that it’s a medical procedure and it must be done. They’ve offered me extra time off to heal.

Surgeries have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

My earliest memories are of being in hospitals in India, before I moved to the US at 6 years old. As I got older, there were more surgeries and speech therapy; it was a lot.

At one point, doctors thought there were no more procedures they could do to help me. I’m really thankful for the Little Baby Face Foundation, which continued to support me and has helped remove tumors from the back of my head and my jawline.

They’ve empowered me to keep going strong as we near the completion of my treatment plan.

Right now, I’m focused on getting my degree in computer science and learning as much as I can. I’m pretty early into it, but I’m determined to put myself in the best position.