Today’s early career talent are the leaders of tomorrow, influencing and shaping the future of work. At Citrix, we value our early career workforce and welcome interns, co-ops, and university graduates to lead impactful initiatives, develop core skills, and share their unique insights and perspectives. Transforming our early career strategy across the Worldwide Channel Sales & Ecosystem team has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role.

Sara Bridges is our first Business Development and Project Management Co-Op Student from Drexel University. She has made an exceptional impact in just six months, bringing a fresh perspective and imagination, and challenging the status quo. I had the opportunity to connect with Sara to learn more about her experience and the influence she has had on the organization.


Dominique Nyzio: Sara, it has been a pleasure working with you over the past few months. Can you tell us about yourself and your decision to join Citrix for your final co-op?

Sara Bridges: It’s been amazing working together! I’m a Philly-area native and Drexel University senior majoring in Technology Innovation Management, Business Analytics, and Management Information Systems. I applied to Citrix through Drexel’s co-op program, where students complete six-month full-time internships at companies worldwide. I had an amazing recruiting experience where I met the incredibly passionate team at Citrix driving innovative cloud transformation initiatives and defining the future of work. I was drawn to Citrix’s growth mindset and the opportunity to leave a lasting impact. The Channel Sales & Ecosystems organization was completely new to me, but I love journeying outside my comfort zone!

DN: What is your role as a Business Development and Project Management Co-Op? Can you share some insights into your experience?

SB: The co-op’s six-month duration throughout the spring and summer has allowed me to work on a breadth of cross-functional projects within the Worldwide Channel Sales & Ecosystems team. I primarily support go-to-market, governance, compliance, and program and process improvement initiatives. I’m amazed at the business impact of the strategic projects and exposure to different areas of the business. Beyond projects, my experience has been jam-packed with personal and career development opportunities. I participated in early talent events, dedicated training weeks to expand my industry/business knowledge, and accelerated my soft skill development. The opportunities to work on large-impact projects while receiving training and mentoring for personal growth created an unmatched learning experience.

DN: You led a few cross-functional projects during your co-op, including the documentation of our partner go-to-market processes. Can you explain a bit more about working across Citrix and how this helped you better understand a potential career path in technology?

SB: Working cross-functionally was a key part of my learning experience. Approaching this project as an internal consultant, I interviewed leaders across the Channel Sales & Ecosystems organization and additional functional teams, including Partner Marketing & Infrastructure, Product Management and Marketing, Partner Programs, and Enablement. The goal was to document our existing go-to-market processes, identify areas of improvement, and provide the teams with accurate dependency information to engage more effectively and increase scale through our ecosystem. This hands-on learning experience went far beyond the classroom, and my work will be utilized in new product introductions globally moving forward!

This project was immeasurable in teaching me about the different functions and how holistic collaboration between Citrix and our partners creates new products for our customers. Learning through the lens of the impactful Wrike acquisition opened my eyes to different career paths in the technology and ecosystem world.

DN: With a completely remote co-op experience, what inspires you to log in every day?

SB: Working in an immersive and collaborative environment on initiatives that make a difference was a huge inspiration for me. I worked on many initiatives that gave back to the community with our employee resource groups, including supporting our Partnering with Purpose initiative, training to become a breakbeatcode hackathon coach, and creating a Sweet Case for children in foster care through Together We Rise. I also made my mark as a next-generation thinker on a team that is spearheading the future of work and making decisions that affect millions of users worldwide. Creating a positive impact, while being part of an incredibly supportive team, is so rewarding.

DN: You’ve broken new ground here as our first co-op student. Do you have any advice for the next cohort of early career talent?

SB: Being proactive about your development and expressing your passions is key. It may take time, but by diving into all opportunities, your top interest areas will become apparent. Network within and beyond your teams and learn from every connection. If there’s a space you want to learn more about, ask how you can get involved. Stay focused and engaged, offer your ideas, and ask questions. Between co-ops, internships, and post-graduate programs, the Citrix and the Channel Sales & Ecosystems team truly value early talent and are eager to embrace your perspective, so let your light shine!


Congratulations to Sara for raising the standard for early career impact over the past six months. We are excited to watch Sara and the next generation of talent think bold and revolutionize the future of work through technology and innovation.

For more information on opportunities for current college students and recent graduates, visit the University Recruiting page.