Nearly 9 out of 10 employees at Four Winds IT started as an intern. The Sarasota-based company helps organizations leverage artificial
intelligence, cloud solutions and cybersecurity to increase productivity and improve
operational performance.
Founder Don Borden credits USF interns with playing a vital role in the company’s
growth.
“We could not have done it without our interns,” Borden said. “They are expected to make meaningful contributions, and they all bring new ideas that change the way we think about our processes.”
Borden founded Four Winds IT in 2014 and hired his first batch of interns two years later. He started with six interns. Most recently, the company received 342 applications to fill 10 intern positions.
Our interns motivate me to grow the business because I want to hire them all.
Don Borden
Founder of Four Winds IT
“I see the internship program as a way to give back to the community and retain local talent in the area,” Borden said.
One of his former interns is Wes Burgos, who earned his bachelor’s degree in information technology from USF in 2024. After graduation, he was hired full-time and now serves as an AI automation engineer.
“I was drawn to this position because I look forward to building a career as a network engineer and developing the skills needed to become a network automation engineer or pursue a similar role. It also gives me the opportunity to apply what I learned in college to solve real-world problems for technology-focused businesses.”
Front row (L-R) Hruday Vayugundla, Srujana Parapatakam and Ethan Graber
Back row (L-R) Zach Larin and Hayden Finne
Srujana Parapatakam also started as an intern and earned her master’s degree in cybersecurity from USF in 2025. She’s now a network engineer at Four Winds IT.
“What I enjoy most is the collaborative environment and the variety of challenges that come with the work,” Parapatakam said. “Every day brings something different, whether it's assessing vulnerabilities, supporting clients, or staying ahead of evolving technology. I also appreciate that my team encourages continuous learning and values fresh perspectives, it makes me feel like my contributions genuinely matter.”
USF business analytics and information systems major, Shirley Vanoni-Calderon is a current network engineer intern. Vanoni-Calderon said. “The role offers a strong combination of problem-solving, collaboration and learning opportunities, which made it especially appealing to me.”
For students, internships provide an opportunity to put classroom knowledge into practice, build professional skills and make connections that can lead to careers. For organizations such as Four Winds IT, they provide access to emerging talent and fresh perspectives.
USF works to connect students with organizations throughout the Tampa Bay region and beyond through on-campus recruitment fairs, career advising, campus outreach and the Center for Career & Professional Development’s elective internship course.
For Four Winds IT, that connection has become a key part of its workforce strategy – and for students such as Burgos and Parapatakam, it has become a pathway from the classroom to a career.