For my STEP Signature Project, I interned at Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) as a Co-op Developer in the IT Marketing Applications group. Here, I was able to establish professional relationships with many great mentors and develop my coding skill-set.

Coming out of an internship I had over the summer near home, I was looking forward to realizing the differences between a non-profit and a corporation. For the first few weeks of my co-op at MPC, I was able to learn industry standards that, after reflection, I could easily integrate into my educational career. These standards will be something that I will continually uphold in my classes. It was different to see the computer science topics implemented in the work environment and these topics were better understood after realizing how important they were in the career-space.

During the co-op, there were a multiple of activities that MPC hosted for the other co-ops to enrich our experiences there. It was great to work with other co-ops and understand their work assignments. Interacting with other co-ops, I was able to learn about MPC more and the other Business processes that MPC possess. From my experience, the MPC work environment was very inclusive and I felt comfortable confiding with my supervisor and mentor with anything work-related that was on my mind. With these social and professional events with other co-ops, I was able to better communicate with other students my age in a professional manner. I believe this will contribute to better relations with students at OSU in my classes.

A key aspect of my experience was the routine of my day. During my co-op, I was able to learn how to create good habits like waking up early and plan out my day. Since I was following a routine, I was able to accomplish a tremendous amount of work during my term. This routine freed up my nights and allowed me to read more books and write in my personal journal more often. Here, I was able to reflect on my days and relax my mental capabilities as I was able to realize my days when I was able to go to sleep. I have been continuing these great habits here at OSU where I hope to adjust quickly to the academic sphere and find success.

This co-op was also a great opportunity for me experience an exuberant amount of individualism and independence. As I was able to follow my routine I set up for myself, it was essential that I learned how provide and care for myself. This included learning how to cook more food options and restocking on house-hold essentials. Although this may sound a bit trivial, I was able to take on a lot more responsibility and this responsibility made me appreciate my life and the privileges I have more!

This previous co-op was a great and beneficial change for me as I was able to develop my professional mannerisms and career. From the beginning of my freshman year, I sought an education at The Ohio State University to improve my and my family’s life. Throughout this journey, I have struggled, dealt with mental health, and faced many difficult obstacles. All these events led and guided me through this experience and being able to take a break from campus and develop professional skills allowed me to truly reflect on my life, gain greater independence, and enrich and motive me to further reach my future goals and aspirations.