Yurkunas Puts Computer Skills to Work in Berlin

Computer science major Matthew Yurkunas put his skills to use at a summer internship in Berlin, Germany.

Originally a digital forensics major, Yurkunas switched majors in his sophomore year. This past summer, leading up to junior year, he wanted to experience a job that wasn’t in his hometown. He came across Internships Abroad and found FENISKA, a firm that identifies pet health issues early on by monitoring weight, movement, and more.

Yurkunas interned with the firm from from May 29 to July 29 in the data science department, writing computers algorithms that are used in the product today. Having past knowledge of the language, Yurkunas felt comfortable with German speakers. “This internship made me realize that the material we learn in the classroom is indeed important.”

He lived as a long-term student at The Social Hub Berlin in a wing occupied by other students involved through the same Intern Abroad Program. They shared a communal kitchen but had their own bathrooms and bedrooms.

“The people were truly what made this internship unique,” says Yurkunas. “I met many people who shared their interests and different cultures with me.” One of his favorite memories included his two friends, Anna, and Anna. The three met through The Social Hub and decided to travel across Germany together. They rented a car and drove seven hours across Germany and into the Netherlands and Belgium. On the road trip, they attended CHIO Aachen, one of the most prestigious equestrian competitions in the world. 

Outside of the internship, he got to experience an entirely new culture. “Germans take time for themselves and recognize the importance and value of relationships,” says Yurkunas, who noticed that fewer people spent time looking at that phones. “People felt more immersed in reality.”