🌱 My Name Means Green – and so does my Dream.

HaritShah

A journey into finding my "Why Esri".

My name is Harit — it means green or nature in Sanskrit. And over time, that meaning has become more than just symbolic. It’s shaped who I am — someone who cares deeply about the planet, and someone who dreams of using technology to protect what we all share.

When I discovered Esri, it felt like everything aligned — the mission, the people, and the power of geography to create real-world impact. I knew right away:
This is where I want to be.

But dreams demand action.

I began by searching for people who work at Esri — passionate, brilliant individuals contributing to meaningful change. I studied their journeys, their backgrounds, their skills. And then I asked myself:

- What am I missing?
- What can I work on starting today?

So I made a list — not of titles or checkboxes — but of real, actionable goals:

• Real-world GIS experience

• A story-driven GIS portfolio

• Public speaking and workshop facilitation

• Self-taught GIS foundation

• Mentorship and conversations with Esri professionals

• A way to blend my Computer Science background with GIS purpose

Since that moment, I’ve been on a mission.

•  I self-taught GIS during undergrad using Esri Academy, LinkedIn Learning, and UC Davis's Coursera courses.
• I became a Geospatial Research Assistant at the Institute for Social Research at CSUS.
• I landed a year-long internship as a GIS Developer at California Department of Transportation, building real-world application tools.
• I’ll be presenting my first GIS workshop this April at CALGIS Sonoma.
• And most importantly, I’ve connected with over 150 Esri professionals — not just to network, but to learn.

Every person I reached out to gave me something:
A perspective. A tip. A spark of motivation. A reason to keep going.

So to all of you — the Esri employees who took time to respond, meet, guide, and uplift — thank you. You’ve shaped my path in ways I’ll never forget.

This summer, I graduate with a Master’s in Computer Science, carrying with me not just new skills, but a deeper understanding of what it means to apply them in service of something greater.

I’m still applying to roles at Esri — but no matter what happens, I already feel proud of the journey I’ve walked. I keep trusting the process.

🌤️ It’s easy to feel hopeful on a bright sunny day, but you must remember to feel hopeful when you feel like things are not working out.

And lastly, a quiet truth I’ve come to believe deeply:
✨ None of this would have been possible without the power of networking.
Not just for opportunities — but for growth, perspective, and community.

Here’s what I’ve built so far:

📍 [StoryMap Portfolio]
:laptop_computer: [GIS + Coding Portfolio Website]
🔗 [LinkedIn]
:calendar: [CALGIS Sonoma – April 14–16 Workshop Info] 

 

 

 

rghazvini

Harit, your journey is incredibly inspiring — thank you for sharing it with such honesty and purpose. The clarity you've found in your “why” is something so many of us spend years trying to define, and it’s clear that you’ve done the deep work — not just dreaming, but taking real, courageous action to bring that vision to life.

Your list of goals is powerful because it focuses on growth, not just achievements. The fact that you’ve built GIS experience from the ground up, pursued mentorship with intention, and created space for others by leading a workshop — that’s not just impressive, that’s leadership.

What you’ve already accomplished is proof that you belong in this field — and at Esri — because you’re not waiting for a role to define your impact. You’re already creating it.

Keep going. Keep reaching out. The right opportunity will find its way to someone as driven, thoughtful, and mission-minded as you. And no matter where you land, you’ve built a foundation that will carry you far.

Rooting for you, and can’t wait to see where your path leads next 🌍💪🌱