Mithran Mohanraj is a junior at George Mason University and a member of the Karsun Innovation Center 2023 Intern Class. As part of his internship, Mithran took on the challenge of developing a prototype application that addresses a hypothetical problem faced by a government agency. In addition to completing this prototype designed to drive engagement with the National Parks Service, he explored mobile app development with enhancements to the Karsun employee app, Konnect. Learn how Mithran connected with the Innovation Center team and deepened his UI/UX practice in this short interview.

First please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

I am studying Computer Science at George Mason University in my Junior year. In my free time, I like to develop games, exercise at the gym, go for jogs outside, and read books.

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

So far in the internship, I have worked on an AppSheet app that was supposed to solve a problem the federal government faces. I made an app that could increase revenue and engagement with the National Parks Service. After finishing that app, I worked on creating a mobile version of the Karsun Konnect web page using AppSheet. This app also receives push notifications from multiple sources including the Brown Bag and Dojos app. It also receives notifications for company-wide announcements. I am also working on an expense request app for HR to use in AppSheet.

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

My favorite part about working at the Karsun Innovation Center is the people. I really enjoy working with everyone and collaborating to create something useful. I also enjoy the opportunity I have been given to learn UI/UX design. It is one of my longtime interests and I am grateful I have an opportunity to learn it professionally.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

My biggest takeaway is that working in a professional environment is an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience. It is very different from school and I feel like I am learning a lot of practical skills that will help me in the future.

Mithran’s internship supported work performed by the Karsun Innovation Center. Learn how the Research and Development teams in the center prototype solutions, research emerging technologies and enhance the employee experience at Karsun. Connect with Mithran on LinkedIn to learn more about his time at Karsun.