Sandra Rivera, Executive Vice President and Intel Chief People Officer, announces a new approach to Intel’s 2020 Summer Intern ProgramIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of our work at Intel is shifting to a virtual format to limit the spread of the virus. But even though we’re physically distancing ourselves, our teams are finding new and creative ways to work, collaborate, and stay socially connected while apart.
The newest members of our team, our class of 2020 summer interns, will be experiencing this first-hand with the launch of our Virtual 2020 Intern Program. While we would have loved to welcome them on-site at our campuses across the globe, we’re committed to making sure the new format of the program enables a unique and memorable experience for each one of them.
Our goal is to create an inclusive learning environment, where our interns do meaningful work with real impact, and where they can build virtual communities across the company. We will empower each participant to create close connections with others and have a safe space to work, learn, and share ideas. Our interns will be offered a range of opportunities: from virtual business and technical acumen series, to virtual team happy hours to get to know their colleagues better, to a variety of dynamic online simulations and exercises. We’ll encourage them to expand their knowledge base, challenge themselves personally and professionally, connect with mentors, and engage with Intel executives across our business unit teams.
At the same time, we know there are some internships where a remote approach just doesn’t work well—in those cases we’ll be deferring the work until it’s safe for our interns to be physically on our campuses. Whether the internship is on-site or virtual, taking place now or later, we encourage all of our interns to embrace this new adventure by asking questions, challenging assumptions, taking informed risks, and following the advice of Robert Noyce, one of our founders:
“Don’t be encumbered by history, just go out and do something wonderful.”
We are excited to provide a new approach to the intern program and look forward to our 2020 interns joining their virtual teams and taking the next steps in their education and careers.
Welcome to our class of 2020 summer interns. We look forward to supporting your growth and creative contributions and learning from your bright ideas!
Sandra L. Rivera is executive vice president and general manager of the Datacenter and AI Group at Intel Corporation. She leads Intel’s development of leadership data center products for a cloud-based world, including Intel® Xeon® and field programmable gate array (FPGA) products. She also drives the company’s overall artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and product roadmap.
Before assuming her current role, Rivera was Intel’s chief people officer, leading the company’s Human Resources organization worldwide. In that role, she was responsible for greater business results through a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion. She also previously led the Network Platforms Group of over 3,000 employees that drove the transformation of network infrastructure to Intel-based solutions and enabled breakthrough ways to integrate Intel’s silicon and software portfolio to create greater customer value.
Rivera joined Intel in 2000 as a marketing director after the acquisition of Dialogic Corp. Before joining Intel, Rivera co-founded and served as president of The CTI Authority and served as president of the computer telephony division at Catalyst Telecom.
Rivera holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. She sits on the Equinix board of directors; she is a member of Berkeley’s engineering advisory board and a member of the Intel Foundation Board; and she is part of Intel’s Latinx Leadership Council.