My Role as a Scrum Master at JGM

In the midst of my summer internship at JGM Innovation, I was ecstatic to accept my role as a Scrum Master upon being offered the position. As a rising sophomore in college pursuing an Information Systems degree, I was nervous to start my initial role as a Web Developer with limited technical knowledge. However, the Workforce Accelerator program played a pivotal role in helping me gain the confidence and practical knowledge to step into this position. It taught me how to approach challenges with structure, to collaborate effectively, and embrace adaptability as a strength rather than a source of uncertainty. 

A Scrum Master serves as the facilitator of the agile process, ensuring that the team follows agile principles while remaining flexible enough to adapt to change at any given time. Agile strategy emphasizes iterative progress, collaboration, and responsiveness to feedback rather than rigid planning. At JGM, we work in weekly sprints, which provide short, focused cycles where the team can commit to specific deliverables and then reflect on progress before moving forward. To organize our work, we use Jira where tasks are structured into epics and stories. Epics represent larger initiatives that span multiple sprints, while stories break those initiatives down into smaller, actionable tasks. Our epics are typically categorized into areas of interest such as Wix Development, Peru Data, Lighthouse, or Eclipse work, which helps the team stay aligned with broader organizational goals while still making steady progress through manageable steps. 

Before pursuing this responsibility, I wasn’t aware of what a Scrum Master does. My original role was acting as a Web Developer for the Wix website. I worked on SEO research and basic fixes on the website. However, I wanted to expand my skillset and pursue a leadership role in addition to my current responsibilities. According to my interests and abilities, I knew that I wanted to learn more about roles that allowed me to communicate with many different people and a role that requires me to constantly adapt to my environment. Moreover, I wanted a job that required me to problem solve and have different tasks everyday. This desire to grow beyond technical execution and into leadership was the reason I accepted the Scrum Master role in the first place. As I continued my responsibilities, I was also exposed to tools and projects beyond my initial scope. I learned about platforms and workflows that other interns were using, such as Eclipse, Power BI, Wix/Lighthouse, and Claude. Gaining knowledge in these areas has broadened my perspective and strengthened my ability to support the team. I am now able to confidently say that I have experience with these tools, and I look forward to continuing to grow my technical skills as I advance in my career. 

The rhythm of our week is shaped by two important days: stand‑ups on Wednesdays and demos on Saturdays. Stand‑ups provide a space for everyone to share progress, plans, and problems, but they only work if people are honest and specific. Tasks are often subject to change depending on an intern’s progress, and blockers or requests for assistance are common. It is the responsibility of the Scrum Master to help resolve those needs, which is why having knowledge of different technologies is so valuable in supporting the team. Demo days demand even more preparation. Interns are expected to showcase what they have accomplished throughout the week, and these sessions provide an opportunity to receive feedback. Demo days are also when future sprints are planned, with adjustments made based on the feedback received. This cycle of presenting, reflecting, and planning ensures that the team remains agile, responsive, and aligned with broader goals.

Ultimately, being a Scrum Master is not just about managing or tracking tasks. Instead, it is about cultivating clarity, accountability, and growth. Being passionate about helping others and truly seeing the non-profit organization grow makes the job easier when you do something you truly care about. Guiding these technological projects and seeing how they can make a difference in Peru schools has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. Additionally, watching interns contribute to solutions that directly impact education abroad reminds me that our work is not only about building systems, but about creating opportunities and driving meaningful change.