Helping Google search
Andru Anderson ’19 focuses on diversity and inclusion in recruitment during internship
Majors: Anthropology and business and management
Internship: Building Opportunities for Leadership and Development (BOLD) at Google, in Mountain View, Calif.
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Strategizing: “The Google BOLD internship program promotes diversity and inclusion and is for rising undergraduate seniors who are interested in working in technology and full-time opportunities at Google. I found the internship through the Posse Foundation network for Posse Scholars. Google is one of the foundation’s company partners. My project for the summer was creating a strategy that addresses the expansion of the pipeline for top talent recruitment from under-represented backgrounds. It has been a humbling and challenging problem concerning society’s ongoing struggle to truly become diverse and more importantly inclusive.”
A perfect match: “I ultimately intend on being a multi-industry global business owner who provides services for marginalized communities primarily in education and career development. Google is one of the architects of the modern world and has revolutionized the way societies attain and exchange information with one another. My internship offered valuable experience in thinking about how to connect with diverse audiences.”
Custom job: “At Google, we have a very open floor plan and we’re provided the opportunity to customize our work space however we see fit. Whenever I needed to unwind or just change positions, I would sit down on my cushion.”
Important lessons: “I’ve learned to be more comfortable with ambiguity in general and to have more faith in myself. I don’t know what my future holds, and I’m fine with that. There are a lot of things I intend to do with my life, however, I’m open to the idea of not being obsessed with things being linear. My life has been anything but linear, and I’m pretty proud of how that’s been going for me so far.”
A pleasant surprise: “I realized that I can make a difference at Google. There are opportunities for me to truly blossom to new heights and possibilities. You would’ve been hard-pressed to convince a teenage ‘Dru’ that he would have been working at Google and making a difference. That’s huge for a lot of reasons.”
A major decision: “An honest anthropologist serves as a translator in the audacious endeavor of attempting to understand the human condition across cultures and intersections. Why do we do the things that we do? Professor Gabriela Torres’s demeanor and scholarship is what hooked me on the major. She is a remarkable educator and person, who has inspired me to learn so much about myself and the world around me.”
Prepared for anything: “Attending a private liberal arts institution like Wheaton College reinforces the importance of versatility and being able to carve out my own path. There isn’t a fixed path for students based on the discipline they decide to major in. That’s very similar to the approach that Google takes with its employees. You discover your passions and goals through self-discovery and mentorship and, with that, seize the opportunities and create the legacy you aspire to leave. I’m fortunate enough to have a remarkable support system at Wheaton and Google, which has done wonders for my development as a professional, a scholar and most importantly as a person.”
Good advice: “It is paramount that you’re your own biggest advocate in your academic and professional endeavors, and be sincere and authentic when building your personal brand.”
In addition to his internship at Google, Andru Anderson ’19 has interned as a resident advisor and fencing Instructor at Yale University through the EXPLO Program in summer 2016 and as a diversity and inclusion intern at the United States Tennis Association in the ticket operations department in summer 2017. At Wheaton this academic year, he will be a teaching assistant for cultural anthropology, a global peer advisor, and an intern for the Admission Office.