by Lauren Frank, RTC Member, Computer Information Sciences and Physics Student at Washburn University
In April, I received a LinkedIn message from Rewriting the Code’s VP of Culture and Community Impact, Kristin Austin. She asked if I wanted to represent RTC for a Pure Storage event in Las Vegas. At first, I thought she was mistaken. Out of everyone, why would I get picked to go? However my motto of the year was to be open to new experiences, so I said yes. I found out a few days later that the conference would be on my birthday!
Before the conference actually started, RTC was there for us each step of the way. We had a pre-conference orientation where all the RTC participants could meet each other and meet with Pure Storage representatives who walked us through the conference schedule and details we would need to know. Here, I saw a few people I met at another conference, but I also met a lot of RTC members I had never met! There was a good mix of undergraduate students, graduate students, and early career members. As we got to know one another before and during the event, I felt like there was so much I could learn from each one of them.
This was my first time at Pure//Accelerate, and at first, I felt really overwhelmed. I had been to a few smaller regional conferences for students, but nothing with industry professionals and executives. I had a general idea about what data storage was and how it was used but felt scared to talk to Pure Storage’s representatives and associates since I was unfamiliar with the details of how their product worked. During the keynote session, CEO Charles Giancarlo announced their new data storage architecture. Still feeling a little lost, it was helpful to have other RTC members who specialized in data to help explain!
After the keynote, there was a mix of breakout sessions and networking opportunities available to attend. I attended a mix of these, including some flash talks and networking with some industry partners, like Microsoft. A cool experience of the day was getting to see Artly, the Barista Bot! After seeing it online, and then finally in person, it was exciting to see the new innovations coming to robotics. Another fun talking point with industry partners was building LEGO minifigs with a Pure Storage logo! Surprisingly, they had some ginger hair pieces, and it was a perfect birthday surprise.
In the afternoon, Pure Storage executives came to give an exclusive RTC mentor circle activity. Here, all the RTC members were paired up with someone from Pure Storage or their partners to learn and connect with each mentor. In these mentorship circles, I had the opportunity to hear about the career trajectories of some Pure Storage employees and also able to share my own story and get career advice from them.
Outside of the conference, all the RTC members had some free time to go and explore around Las Vegas! This was such a fun time and really helped me connect and get to know everyone. We explored indoor gardens, endured the Nevada heat, and ate plenty of In-n-Out burgers!
Attending Pure//Accelerate 2025 was not just about learning more about data storage, it was about pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, making meaningful connections, and seeing firsthand how companies are innovating technology. From keynote sessions to mentorship circles with Pure Storage executives, I gained valuable knowledge and advice that I was able to apply to my summer internship and into my last year of school and my career. Even more impactful was the sense of community I found with my fellow RTC members, whose experiences and perspectives inspired me throughout the event. What started as a surprising invitation turned into one of the best experiences of my year, one that I’m grateful I said yes to.
