ASEF Junior Fellow Sophia Jarc On Her Enriching Time at Dewesoft HQ
We are excited to announce that ASEF Junior Fellow 2024, Sophia Jarc, has successfully completed her internship at Dewesoft headquarters in Trbovlje under the mentorship of Dominika Oblak and Darja Jerič!
Sophia Jarc is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Management at Purdue University, USA. She is particularly proud of her involvement with Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program which seeks to recruit high school girls to pursue engineering. Sophia reported that their initiatives have contributed to a significant increase in the number of women enrolled in engineering programs. They currently make up 34% of the incoming classes at Purdue which, according to a 2024 Gitnux Report, is 14% above the global average of women in engineering programs.
Sophia’s internship combined her interests from Industrial Engineering, a field that attracted her due to its versatility, and Project Management, which she pursued due to her love of problem-solving and working with people. At Dewesoft, she focused on project management, where she had the opportunity to immerse herself in the world of DewesoftX, DAQ devices, and the inner workings of the Project Office.
Her primary responsibility was organizing the Dewesoft Summer Camp – a graduate-level student program. She collaborated with colleagues across Europe to define the program’s technical aspects, align their international team, and manage various organizational details. She had the opportunity to collaborate with a global team while also gaining exposure to the technical aspects of Dewesoft products.
Sophia received a very warm welcome from the entire Dewesoft team. Here’s what she had to say about her mentors’ guidance:
“Dominika has provided insights into the functions of the Project Office and the realities of managing a project. She guided me in making connections throughout the company and offered me invaluable professional advice. Darja Jerič mentored me through managing the project of Summer Camp. She trusted me with many responsibilities which allowed me to grow more than I could have imagined. Her guidance has been instrumental in helping me navigate the challenges of project management.”
Sophia’s satisfaction with her time at Dewesoft was shared by the mentors themselves. Darja Jerič commented on Sophia’s time there:
“Her engineering background (Major) and the “unicorn” combination with business (Minor) give her the necessary depth to work on a project which – in addition to classic project management – can be demanding in working with different profiles, groups and companies. […] Sophia blossomed during the project, her researching, inquisitive spirit added a lot of fresh and enthusiastic energy to the organizational team, and above all, it enabled her to be gradually empowered, as we entrusted her with more and more tasks and independent coordination in the last phase of preparations.” [source]
In Cleveland, Sophia is a member of the Slovenian community Slovenska Pristava, the Saint Vitus Parish, and Folklorna Kres, a cultural dance group dedicated to entertaining the Slovenian community of greater Cleveland since 1954. She thus appreciated having the chance to connect with her Slovenian heritage and explore the country. She enjoyed spending time with her Slovenian family and meeting new people. She also attended the ASEF Weekend Getaway, where she has had the opportunity to connect with other Junior Fellows from Slovenian and abroad:
“The ASEF getaway gave me the opportunity to explore Slovenia and Slovenian culture that goes beyond visiting tourist locations. I was able to build connections with the Slovenian Fellows and learn more about their culture.”
Sophia is convinced her experience with Dewesoft will continue to benefit her long after her departure from Slovenia. She is grateful to her Dewesoft mentors Dominika Oblak and Darja Jerič, as well as the owner Jure Knez and the entire ASEF team. She commented on her experience with the ASEF Junior Fellowship Visit Slovenia program:
“Through this program, I gained invaluable professional experience while also having the opportunity to explore my heritage and reconnect with my Slovenian relatives. […] I am incredibly grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This experience has significantly expanded my professional skill set, deepened my connection to my cultural roots, and enabled me to build new connections in Slovenia.”
We are extremely happy to hear about Sophia’s productive and enriching time here. We thank the Dewesoft team for welcoming her and contributing to her professional development and wish Sophia all the best with her future studies and professional development!
We also thank the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad and all ASEF donors for supporting the work of ASEF and our Junior Fellows.
This text was adapted from an article written by Sophia Jarc for Dewesoft.
