Game of referrals

You're most likely to get a referral from someone who already know you. Since you're a student, I'd advise to reach out to your seniors in college to see if they can give a referral. Another way that works is to build a project, then send a connect request to someone in that scope on LinkedIn and asking them to review it as you need feedback to grow. Most people will be likely to review and provide with feedback. Work on that feedback, and then ask for a referral after a month or two. You'll definitely get one, and you'll also have a good looking portfolio.