Bridging business and tech: Dual-degree student thrives at Calgary-based tech company

For Sukriti Badhwar, a fourth-year dual-degree student in software engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering and business analytics at the Haskayne School of Business, landing an internship at Arcurve wasn’t just luck, it was a combination of hard work, networking and being intentional with her job applications. 

“What drew me to Arcurve was its culture,” says Badhwar. “I had heard a lot about its supportive work environment, and especially the support that it provides to its interns, the community that it has and the mentorship opportunities.” 

Arcurve is a leading full-service technology, advisory and software-development company based in Calgary that helps clients across diverse industries solve complex business problems through strategic digital solutions. Badhwar joined the company as a business analyst intern and has contributed to advancing Arcurve’s long-term strategic goals. 

Support from the Engineering Career Centre 

Badhwar credits the Engineering Career Centre (ECC) at the Schulich School with helping her prepare for the opportunity. Through career fairs, networking events and one-on-one advising, she was able to connect directly with Arcurve representatives and identify companies that aligned with her personal and professional goals. 

“They helped me understand what I was looking for and how to find companies that matched that," says Badhwar. “The ECC advisors were really helpful in planning out my goals and guiding me toward the right fit.” 

Bridging business and tech 

As a dual-degree student, Badhwar found the internship to be a perfect blend of interests. On the business side, she led stakeholder meetings, gathered project requirements and outlined deadlines, all of which helped her build communication, teamwork and leadership skills. On the technical side, she worked on user interface/user experience (UI/UX) design and development tasks. 

“Having both perspectives helped me translate business needs into technical solutions,” says Badhwar. “It really helped me see the bigger picture.” 

One moment that stood out during her internship was when she designed a sleek, modern interface for a client’s website, only to learn that the client prioritized ease of use over innovation. That experience sparked a shift in her thinking. 

“I realized I needed to focus on what the user actually needs, not just what looks cool,” says Badhwar. “It taught me to lead with a user-first mindset.” 

Real work, real impact 

Badhwar’s character and interdisciplinary background made her a standout candidate, says Joel Pollard, BSc’96, senior director of people at Arcurve. 

“She had a track record of high achievement, but, most importantly, her character shone through in the interview process,” says Pollard. “That’s what matters most to us.” 

Arcurve’s internship program is designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, Pollard adds. Interns are given the chance to lead their own community-focused projects, pitch ideas and manage execution, gaining experience beyond their technical roles.

Looking ahead 

Badhwar says the skills and connections she gained at Arcurve will stay with her as she moves forward in her career and possibly starts something of her own one day in the tech industry. 

“I’ve built meaningful relationships and gained mentors who will help me navigate both my career and life,” Badhwar says. “I’ve learned that innovation and creativity need to be front and centre when you’re building something new.” 

Her advice to other students is to just go for it.  

“Internships are a great way to apply what you’ve learned in class, make mistakes and grow. "You’re not expected to be perfect; you’re expected to learn,” says Badhwar.