# I Found My Coordinates: Code, Community, and Okta

DevFeed: [I Found My Coordinates: Code, Community, and Okta](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/i-found-my-coordinates-code-community-and-okta-15974.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://developer.okta.com/blog/2026/08/20/vanshika-intro-blog>)

Author: Vanshika Pandey

Published: 2026-08-20T05:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Okta Developer](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/okta-developer.md>)

Topics: [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>), [Software Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-engineering.md>), [Google](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/google.md>)

Tags: [advocacy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/advocacy.md>), [community](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/community.md>), [developer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer.md>), [google](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/google.md>), [hackathons](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hackathons.md>), [javascript](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/javascript.md>), [journey](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/journey.md>), [networking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/networking.md>), [okta](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/okta.md>), [security](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/security.md>), [work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/work.md>)

## AI overview

A personal account of developing a career through campus ambassador work, internships, community building, developer advocacy, and software development.

## Source excerpt

It all started with a phone call from an institute that reached out to recruit me for its campus ambassador program. I was navigating my first year of college, figuring things out. It was all new for me, a new city, far from home, and a hostel room. I was not aware of anything except books and lectures. A senior at my campus ambassador program advised me to create a LinkedIn account and start looking for opportunities from day one. As they say, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." So I started applying for random internships. Soon, I received my first offer, where I discovered the power of networking and community. "No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it." - H.E. Luccock Community has always been the best part of my life. The love and support we receive from each other are invaluable. I have always given to the community and gained far more in return. I attended an institution that wasn't particularly well-known. There weren't many communities, so why not do something about it? Through professional platforms, I discovered Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC), researched the opportunity, and applied. I became the pioneer GDSC Lead at my institution, and one of 280 leads across India. We built the community from scratch, organizing meetups, workshops, and hackathons that delivered real value to students. These experiences sparked curiosity and helped students find their voice. When I stumbled across the Developer Advocate role, I was very happy and curious, so I started digging into it. My journey into advocacy "What you seek is seeking you." - Rumi One day, I got an email from a founder who said he liked my LinkedIn profile and wanted me to join his organization as a Developer Advocate - that moment was surreal. That's how I landed an internship as a Developer Advocate at Zuplo, where I learned something crucial: to understand developers' pain points, I needed to walk in their shoes. To truly advocat