Introduction to Quincy Rosenzweig

Quincy Rosenzweig is one of OpenTrade’s first interns, joining us for a summer to gain hands-on experience in the fast-paced world of startups and stablecoins. As a rising junior at Yale University, double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Quincy brought with him a background in robotics and a passion for learning across various disciplines. Outside of academics, he enjoys building sets for Yale theatre performances, singing and touring with his a cappella group, Doox of Yale, and rock climbing.

Diving into Product and Engineering at OpenTrade

During his internship, Quincy focused on several key projects, with his most significant contribution being the enhancement of OpenTrade’s API documentation and Postman collections. These improvements are crucial for helping clients understand and test the API, serving as vital tools during integration projects.

Beyond this, Quincy immersed himself in nearly all stages of product development — participating in ideation, design, development, deployment, and testing. He even had the opportunity to interact directly with clients to gather feedback. As he approaches the end of his internship, Quincy expresses gratitude for the chance to learn from and work alongside the OpenTrade team.

Insights from Quincy’s Internship Experience

What’s the most surprising thing you learned during your internship?

“The most surprising lesson I learned is that everybody makes mistakes. At the start of my internship, I was scared of doing something wrong, but I quickly realised that the cliché of ‘you can’t learn without making mistakes’ applies in the workforce as well. I watched as my co-workers, professionals and experts in their field made mistakes, fixed them, and learned how to avoid them moving forward. With this realisation, I was able to do the same.”

Quincy also found that working in a remote environment was more collaborative than he expected. Instead of working solo with only weekly meetings, he enjoyed daily interactions with the engineering team, which enhanced his experience at OpenTrade.

What’s the most valuable skill or knowledge you learned during your internship?

“I learned a lot about navigating git, specifically the trials and tribulations that come with source code management and how to troubleshoot merge conflicts. This is rarely taught in school, so it was great to learn such an important tool in the development process.”

How was balancing an internship with enjoying your summer as a college student?

“It was great! Working remotely allowed me to travel to New York City, New Haven, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Lake Tahoe, visiting friends and spending quality time with family. It was difficult adjusting to working full-time, but I was able to accomplish and learn a lot in a relatively short time, while still having lots of great experiences outside of work.”

Could you imagine yourself founding or working at a startup in the future?

“Absolutely. I was interested in learning more about startups before coming to OpenTrade, so this internship was the perfect glimpse into the startup world. I love working in small teams to constantly innovate and progress toward a goal that everyone believes in and cares about.”

Looking Ahead: Quincy’s Plans for His Next Year at Yale

Reflecting on a challenging sophomore year marked by over-commitment, Quincy plans to prioritise what truly matters in the coming year. He intends to balance his commitments by carving out time for sleep and exercise daily. However, he remains excited about new opportunities, including starting a job as a tour guide, joining a mechanical engineering lab, and continuing his involvement with his beloved a cappella group.

Advice for College Students Seeking Similar Internship Experiences

Quincy emphasises the importance of socially engaging with the industry: “So many people told me the value of networking, and I didn’t fully believe it until landing at OpenTrade, but it truly makes all the difference. My one piece of advice would be to talk to as many people as you can. However, instead of having the sole goal of finding a job, approach these conversations with the aim of meeting new people, learning about their career paths, jobs, and fields, and getting more context about what the workforce looks like. Genuine interest and curiosity, a love of learning, and positive energy can take you far!”