30 Years of Impact Generational Change Support Inspiration
SHAYLYN KARAN
TAF@Saghalie | Class of 2018
Business Analyst
Technology & Data Analytics Professional
TAF's partnerships gave me opportunities to explore career paths and develop the skills I needed long before I entered the workforce.
Opening Doors Through Career-Connected Learning
For Shaylyn Karan, TAF’s career-connected learning experiences opened doors long before she graduated from high school. As a student at TAF@Saghalie, she embraced opportunities to explore technology, data, and real-world problem-solving. She graduated in 2018 with both her high school diploma and an associate degree, with her sights set on possibilities beyond the classroom.
Building Skills Through Real-World Experience
During her time at TAF@Saghalie, Shaylyn took advantage of every opportunity TAF offered to gain real-world experience. Through TAF’s community partnerships, she built essential research and technical skills through experiences such as an oceanography internship at the University of Washington and Expedia’s Innovation Challenge, a project-based competition made possible through TAF’s direct partnership with Expedia. In the challenge, students learned multiple programming languages and worked in teams to create travel websites. Shaylyn’s work caught the attention of Expedia employees, leading to a paid internship with the company and consideration of her website design for acquisition.
Being a summer intern at Expedia really allowed me to practice the skills I’ve learned and apply them to the workplace.
Growing Into a Career in Technology and Data
After graduating from TAF@Saghalie, Shaylyn earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Administrative Management with a minor in Data Analytics from Central Washington University. During her time at university, she gained additional experience through internships and projects with organizations including KCTS 9 and Alaska Airlines, another longtime TAF community partner.
Today, Shaylyn works as a Business and Data Analyst, where she is especially proud of her ability to develop and assess efficient systems that help organizations operate at their best. She credits her time at TAF with teaching her the value of trying new things and believing that her skills and voice matter.
Continuing to Learn, Lead, and Give Back
Shaylyn’s journey continues as she builds confidence in her career and deepens the technical skills that support her work. She is continuing to hone her abilities in Python and SQL, strengthening her foundation in data analysis while becoming more comfortable navigating the professional world. As she grows, she remains interested in supporting other TAF students and alumni who are exploring internships, career pathways, and opportunities to gain real-world experience.
Creating Lasting Impact for the Next Generation
Shaylyn’s journey demonstrates the power of relationships, opportunity, and hands-on learning. Through TAF’s partnerships with universities and industry leaders, she gained experiences that helped turn classroom learning into career readiness. Today, she is creating meaningful impact in the cybersecurity industry while inspiring the next generation of students to explore careers in technology.
