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In a time where the world is becoming more divided than ever, it's important for those in a position of influence to ensure it doesn't go unchallenged.
Therefore, we were delighted when we were approached about whether we would be willing to take on a cohort of ambitious interns & mentors from the University of Jos (UoJ) and ElevateHer, a foundation committed to empowering Nigerian women in STEM, to play a part in their STEM journey.
From Classroom to Cloud
The Computer Science undergraduates from the University of Jos, Cynthia Odinkan Alibidi & Eli Tabitha Ankala, alongside Hilda, Mariam & Naja’atu Kabir, computer engineers with ElevateHer, undertook a 7 week internship with the goal of better understanding OpenStack & Magnum, the upstream contribution process and how their knowledge translates into real-world industrial practice.
Tabitha & Cynthia, from the University of Jos, hard at work.
Hilda, Mariam & Naja’atu, from ElevateHer, also hard at work.
With the help of their supervisors, Professor Godwin Thomas, Joel Gogwim, Gideon Oki & Kunkur Jemkur, from UoJ; Mani Kitgwim from Cloudsync Enterprise, and Aisha Kwaku & Haneef, from ElevateHer; the interns, with access to virtual machines hosted by our own OpenStack server, started by learning how to deploy Magnum and then by the end were running tempest test and testing patches!
At this point it's about time I hand the metaphorical microphone to the teams from UoJ and ElevateHer to share their experience and what they took from this internship.
STEM Through Their Eyes
My Internship at StackHPC - Cynthia Odinkan Alibidi
My internship at StackHPC was both practical and rewarding. I worked on real cloud projects using OpenStack Magnum, where I managed code branches, ran tests, and applied software updates. I learned how to use important tools like Git and Python in a real development environment.
Being part of the StackHPC team was a major highlight for me. We shared ideas, collaborated on tasks, and supported each other every step of the way. I contributed to release notes, created test reports, and used SSH for secure cloud access. Teamwork and clear communication made our progress possible and enjoyable, and I always felt included and encouraged.
One of my proudest achievements was seeing my work included in our shared documentation. This gave me confidence in my ability to make a real impact in a technical team. I am now much more comfortable with version control, technical reporting, adapting to new tools and skills quickly and group problem-solving.
This experience has prepared me for future roles in cloud engineering, software testing, and collaborative development. I now feel ready to take on new challenges in technology, and I know I can contribute positively to any team.
I am truly grateful to StackHPC and my supervisors for their support, guidance, and encouragement throughout my internship. Thank you for providing such a valuable learning experience and for making me feel like a real part of the team.
Tabitha & Cynthia showing that teamwork, does indeed, make the dream work.
My StackHPC Internship - Eli Tabitha Ankala
The internship at StackHPC provided an excellent opportunity to gain practical exposure to cloud computing and open-source software development.
The focus was on OpenStack Magnum, where tasks included exploring multiple branches, running unit and Tempest tests, and applying upstream patches. Through these activities, I developed a stronger understanding of software stability, integration testing, and collaborative development practices.
The structured approach to documentation and troubleshooting also reinforced the importance of reproducibility and teamwork. Overall, the internship has been an invaluable experience, offering both technical growth and professional development within a dynamic open-source environment.
Cynthia & Tabitha on their time with StackHPC
Our Magnum & GitHub Journey - Hilda, Mariam & Naja’atu
Over the past few Months, we’ve been deep in code, testing frameworks, and GitHub workflows. Our mission? To run unit tests on OpenStack Magnum and refine our repositories through bug fixes and documentation updates. It’s been a journey of trial, error, and triumph, and we’re proud of how far we’ve come.
We kicked off by forking the Magnum repository and setting up our local environments. Installing Tox was our first hurdle, Python version mismatches and missing modules made it clear that testing isn’t just about running commands; it’s about understanding the environment.
While testing, we also tackled bugs and improved our repositories, an example of this is the use of collaborative pull requests and code reviews.
This experience has been more than a technical exercise; it’s been a course in open-source contribution, teamwork, and building good habits. We’ve learned to troubleshoot, document, and support each other through every challenge. And we’re just getting started.
More Than an Internship
From a personal perspective, this was an amazing opportunity for which I am immensely greatful for. It provided the opportunity to put into action what OpenStack is all about - by the community, for the community.
Working alongside incredibly hardworking and talented individuals, all while being able to directly contribute to the empowerment of women in STEM, has truly been inspiring and a great honour. And if everyone who took part gained even a fraction of what I did from this experience, I can rest easy knowing I’ve played a small part in helping build a world of research without barriers.
At the end of the internship, a virtual call with everyone involved highlighted not only the successes of this endeavour but also the importance of the responsibility we all carry; to ensure that we aren't solely focused on the next patch or release, but also providing the tools, confidence, and opportunities for more people to engage with OpenStack, helping create a more united world.
Acknowledgements
The passion and effort put in by everyone taking part was brilliant to see, and this wouldn't have been possible without the coordination and organisation of Mary-Jane Sule, thank you!
A heartfelt thank you is also extended to the tutors, the team from ElevateHer and, of course, the students that took part for their enthusiasm, collaboration and hard work throughout.
I must also personally thank Stig Telfer, CTO at StackHPC, not only for the opportunity but also for placing his trust in me to lead this wonderful venture... I'd better stop there as this is dangerously close to turning into a LinkedIn flattery post.
However, I would be doing Mary-Jane, Stig & the team at ElevateHer a disservice if I didn't also highlight the positive impact their daily efforts have on making the world a better and more inclusive place. So, once again, thank you!
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