For my STEP project, I was working as a Quality Engineering Co-op for Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson’s MedTech Family of Companies. I supported the quality department on a New Product Development Team working on data/statistical analysis and lab testing for our new device.

Being that this was my first co-op/internship experience, I gained exposure to the real world in a possible career path that interested me. At first, I was pretty overwhelmed because I didn’t know what to expect since it was my first engineering experience. Over the course of the term, I learned a lot about Ethicon, engineering in the real world, working at a larger company, and what working in quality is like. I was very self-conscious of my abilities in the beginning because I had no idea what real-world engineering was. Compared to how I feel now, starting my summer internship, I feel much more confident in my abilities as an engineer and am able to take skills that I have learned, such as Minitab, a statistical analysis software, and just general quality knowledge. About mid-way through the term, I was given more responsibility on the term and was tasked with a bigger project that involved data analysis that would help support the design of the new product. 

Relationships and interactions had the biggest influence/impact on how my internship went and the transformations I had. The engineering team I was on was phenomenal. Everyone was so willing to help me understand the new product and it’s specifications/abilities as well as previous products already out on the market. They were open to explaining what they were doing and gave me opportunities to support the task at hand and learn from helping. 

My assignment manager (boss/supervisor) was also great because he was a first time co-op supervisor. He was very accommodating and willing to find projects and tasks that would benefit me as an engineer. Along with my manager, my project director was awesome. He was always checking in and making sure that I was getting support, feeling good about my work, and not struggling in any way. He mentored me along with the other co-ops on the team, and was a great person to turn to for career and engineering advice. I was able to learn a lot from both him and my coworkers in terms of advice and things they wish they would’ve known throughout college, as a new hire, and now as an experienced engineer. 

The third influence was the other co-ops who had internships that term too. Ethicon has an extraordinary internship program that pull people from everywhere and any school, even though work is located in Cincinnati. The program for this past spring included 40 co-ops, both fully virtual and in-person opportunities. I was able to find lifelong friendships with people from all across the world who helped push me to be more confident in my abilities and who I am. This program helped me to build my personable and communication skills as well as how to build community with strangers while away for work. 

Overall, I have struggled with self-confidence and coming to terms with who I am as a person. This experience allowed me to really dig deep into this insecurity and build on strengths that I have acquired throughout school as well as develop new ones too. There’s no use in trying to change who you are, but it’s important to develop and build on strengths you already have and grow to be a stronger, better person. This confidence boost is something that I will be able to use in all aspects of my life. Some examples include working on project teams in school, day to day with family and friends, and then eventually when I decide to embark on a professional career. I’ll be a better person and engineer when I continue to gain confidence in what I can do and the impact I can make. My goal in life is to just help people and make the world a better place. I can’t do that if I don’t feel good about myself, because then I won’t be able to feel good about the work I’m doing. 

For my STEP signature project, I completed a Software Engineering Co-op at Battelle Memorial Institute working to support a full-time software engineering team.  Throughout the course of my co-op, I learned a lot about the different aspects of software engineering.  I specifically worked on software testing & development.

My STEP signature project was extremely valuable in helping reaffirm my career aspirations and helped me further hone in my career specific interests.  Throughout my co-op, I was able to learn what it is like to balance a full-time job while maintaining my other responsibilities.  My first week, I was thrown right into testing out our software, which was really overwhelming at first. I spent a few weeks the learning the necessary tech stack as well as our systems functionality. As I progressed through the co-op, I was given more responsibility within the team, I was given my first few tickets to fix small bugs within our software.  By the end of my co-op, I was developing larger pieces of software and owned a piece of our system.   I was also given the opportunity to research and implement machine learning within our system and presented my findings to our project manager. Throughout my co-op I was able to see different phases of the software development life cycle, from brainstorming and designing new software to testing software prior to release.

Reflecting on where I was the first week of my co-op compared to now, I am leaving with greater confidence in my abilities and more exposure to working on large-scale pieces of software developed by large team over many years. At the beginning I was just absorbing a lot of new information and asking a lot of questions.  By the end, I had made active contributions to the team, I was able to engage and contribute to our planning/design meetings and was a resource for other members to ask questions.

This transformation was most directly caused by relationships with my co-workers as well as the amount of responsibility I was given.  I was treated like a full-time employee and given important work from day one.  Throughout my project, I was able to work alongside and learn from many different full-time engineers at Battelle.  I worked most closely with two different engineers, and each had a great impact on my experience.

First, the engineer I performed testing with helped me get up to speed on the system and taught me important testing principles.  We worked together to develop integration and regression tests, which I then was tasked with performing. I also worked alongside a junior developer on our team when starting my first few tickets and on my later larger development projects.  He helped me whenever I ran into any problems, from general debugging to conversations about how to best design our solution.  He fostered a supportive environment that was focused on improving my skills as a developer.  After submitting code, we would review it together and outline possible areas of improvement, which I really appreciated.  He taught me best practices and company standards as there was a learning curve from writing software for class projects, to developing for a large system.

The work that I was given also largely contributed to this transformation.  By being given a piece of software that was being developed in tandem to software it needed to interact with, this meant I needed to have a greater understanding of what I was working on and its applications.  It also meant I needed to have more conversations with my coworkers to make sure we were all on the same page.  I focused on developing the service for our code and needed to make sure it worked with the UI another developer was working on, as well as the physical hardware it would run on which was being built by an electrical engineer on our team.

By engaging in my co-op, I gained invaluable experience and exposure to my field in the real world.  I was able to receive mentorship and advice from coworkers who have more career experience.   Throughout my project, I was able to improve my skills and see how software engineering is actually done in practice.  My STEP signature project reaffirmed my career aspirations as I really enjoyed my internship and can see how much I grew both personally and professionally over the course of my project.

During the Spring 2022 semester, I completed a co-op/internship in San Francisco, California at VITA Planning and Landscape Architecture. I worked full time in this landscape architecture firm and got to work on fascinating projects that included luxury resorts, hotels, and planned communities. 

In the few months I spent in San Francisco, I learned more about myself and grew more as an individual than ever before.Moving two thousand miles away from everyone I have ever known was the most challenging but rewarding thing I have ever done. I gained a new level of independence and grew comfortable running errands or even going out to eat by myself which I would never have done before. I became fond of my own company and began to cherish the time I spent with only myself. On top of that, living in one of the most progressive cities in the country opened my eyes to other ideas and opinions from people all over the world.

Moving across the country alone can be a daunting idea to anyone, especially to someone that has never lived outside of Ohio; however, it was something that I always wanted to do. I feel as though I matured beyond my years due to this move, and I am so thankful for it all. Being on the west coast alone, I was forced to gain a new sense of independence: paying bills, working full time, navigating a new city, and making friends on my own. With working full time and living alone, I had to learn to efficiently budget my time outside of the office with no set schedule. This included making dinner, doing laundry, going to the gym, socializing, and running other errands. It was a little bit difficult for me to balance at first, but I eventually got the hang of it. On top of that, being full-time in an office was also something I had to get used to overtime.

 Work was my main priority in San Francisco, as I wanted to excel at my internship and absorb as much knowledge as possible. I got to work under amazing designers and work on once-in-a-lifetime projects, such as a luxury golf resort in Portugal. I grew tremendously as a designer and feel as though this time has set me apart from my counterparts. I discovered so many different opportunities I can pursue after graduation which excites me for the future. I made a ton of connections in the design world which will inevitably inspire my own designs upon returning to classes in the fall. In the office, I was motivated every day to learn new programs, skills, and techniques from those around me which I used to my advantage.

Undoubtedly, moving to a brand new city alone and far from my friends and family was the most challenging part of this experience, but it was also the most rewarding. I have always been somebody that is dependent on those around me to live with, run errands with, and even just enjoy my time; I have always hated doing anything alone. Once I got to San Francisco, I quickly realized how much time I would be spending on my own which worried me at first. It was an arduous adjustment for me and I definitely struggled in the beginning. However, I soon become comfortable with just my own presence: I was running errands, going to the beach, going on hikes, and even going out to eat by myself which I never could have envisioned myself doing months ago. Not long after I found this comfort, I began making friends by simply engaging with others when I would do things on my own. In the past, I would have been too standoffish to talk to others alone in public, but my new independence and confidence in myself allowed me to do so; some of these people are now lifelong friends.

In these last few months, I have grown and matured more than I ever have in my life. I feel as though I have elevated myself in my career, my personal social life, and even in my own self-worth. I have learned the different paths I can take with my major and career field which I did not realize possible. I have a newfound maturity and confidence in myself which will only benefit and propel me in both my social and work life. I have learned to enjoy and cherish my alone time and independence that once terrified me. Most importantly, I gained some structure and direction in my life and where I want to go from here. My co-op/internship in San Francisco has changed my life forever, and I am beyond grateful for it all.

For the Spring Semester of 2022, I participated in the Washington Academic Internship Program through The John Glenn College of Public Affairs. Through this program, I interned at a federal grants consulting and government relations firm for 32 hours a week, and I earned 12 hours of academic credit as well.

This experience was extremely eye-opening for me because I learned a lot about the world and myself in the process. Before this experience, I had never worked a corporate nine-to-five job, so it was a new and exciting experience doing so. On top of this, it was my first time ever living outside of Columbus, so I was able to experience a brand-new city and, in turn, learn more about myself.

There were many different things that allowed me to transform and grow in all of these ways. Firstly, my job taught me so much. Through my internship at this firm, I was able to interact with multiple nonprofits across the United States. This gave me a new perspective on the unique struggles happening all over the country. From domestic violence shelters to education centers, I was able to gain insight into the needs of people all over and expand my understanding of the world.

The professional development this program provided also allowed me to grow. I met with individuals in so many different fields including federal government, international affairs, and campaigns. By meeting with these people, I learned a lot about the kind of career I may be looking for. For example, in speaking with people working in the federal government, and specifically, US Congress, I realized that really is not a field I want to get into. The hours and work did not appeal to me, so I now know it is not something I will pursue further.

Finally, just living in a new city with new people taught me so much. As aforementioned, it was my first time living someplace new. Being submerged in a new city with different cultures, infrastructure, and experiences allowed me to grow in ways unimaginable. I learned a new sense of independence through this which gave me a new sense of confidence in myself and my abilities. I also made sure I explored something new in the city each week, and in doing that, I learned a lot more about a new place and made the most of my semester away.

This experience genuinely changed my life in more ways than one. To begin, while I enjoyed the work and the people at my internship, I learned that federal grants consulting is not for me. Fiscal government is not something I find extremely interesting, and although I know the things I learned are going to be invaluable in the future, I will likely work in a different field after I graduate from Ohio State.

I also just finally figured out what I am capable of. I think moving someplace new on my own was something I needed to do. I now understand that I can be successful outside of my little Columbus bubble. With this, after graduation, I won’t only be looking at jobs in Columbus because I know I am capable of making the most out of wherever I end up.

Here is a professional development moment with President Biden’s campaign manager, Greg Schultz!

This is a fellow intern and I at the White House because a WH Staffer asked people from our firm to help out at the Easter Egg Roll!

1. For my STEP signature project, I completed an internship for the Minor in Professional Writing program. I interned for the 2^nd & 7 Foundation, and I wrote news releases, feature articles, blogs, and I attended reading events at elementary schools each week where I read books to elementary schoolers.
2. From this internship, I learned a lot about my confidence and my capabilities as a professional writer. Before this internship, I had only ever written as a student submitting assignments for a grade. Writing as an intern for a non-profit gave me confidence in my voice and my creativity because I was writing content for a purpose, not just a grade. I am also a fairly shy and quiet person, so this internship got me out of my comfort zone by reading out loud to classrooms and interacting with connections for feature articles.
3. I worked with three wonderful ladies in the office who always took an interest in what I was working on, and they really valued my input and opinions. It felt like I wasn’t even an intern. They also taught me to be confident and empowered in my voice and to trust my process, which can be scary as a writer. The readings also boosted my confidence because I had to lead an event and make it engage, which was so out of my comfort zone, so practicing with little kids each week really made me feel comfortable to do it anywhere.
4. This change is significant in my life because I want to enter the Public Relations field after I graduate, which requires creativity, confidence and control. I felt myself shift from a student writer to a writer prepared for professional opportunities. It was my very first internship and I learned a lot about being a part of a team and having a voice in creative projects.
   

   I am in the mascot costume!

   

In April of 2022 I used my STEP funds to work as an Operations Floor Intern with the New York International Auto Show. I worked for 9 days at the Javits Center in New York, New York. The first few days I assisted show management with finalizing the floor plans, measuring exhibit booths, and overseeing the construction of displays. Throughout these nine days, I had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans in all of the disciplines that allow a large-scale show like this to function: for instance, Media & Press, Exhibit Coordinators, Crowd Control, Ticket taking, Security, etc.

Working in the fast-paced environment of NYIAS taught me the importance of adaptability. There is great value in planning and preparation, but it’s important to remember that the real world is a dynamic environment. Most things do not go exactly as they are intended. This show taught me that in some cases, it is a good idea to anticipate things not going to plan and creating solutions to potential problems before-hand. With this mentality, an individual can position themselves better in the moment, and have multiple avenues to go down if a potential problem arises on the initial proposed plan.

This experience has given me a newfound appreciation for communication. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page is important in all walks of life, personally and professionally. In the business world, one minor miscommunication can lead to a very costly error. I have realized there is no shame in asking questions and speaking up to confirm professional details with colleagues. When working on a large project, it is very easy to generalize about the small details; however, for a project to be successful, it is crucial that nothing is overlooked, and everything is confirmed, and at times, double checked, to ensure that things run smoothly.

On my first day at the Javits Center I walked the show floor with the Executive Director, together we observed every manufacturers booth. During this walk, we discovered problems that did not come up on the paper blueprints. Moreover, each auto manufacturer has a display that travels to multiple shows each year, but every convention center is different, i.e., ceiling heights, electrical access, building obstructions. Multiple displays had to have minor adjustments with on-the-spot decisions to adapt to the new environment. It was exciting to be involved in the conversation that made the final decision on certain display exhibits.

Additionally, there was an incident where our team miscounted the number of cars a manufacturer was bringing… In order to solve this error, we first had to calm down the representatives and think of a new, low-cost solution. To make all parties happy and minimize the cost we would incur, we allowed the auto manufacturer to place the miscounted vehicle at the entrance of the show to increase their exposure, and a fairly inexpensive adjustment on our end as well.

I am passionate about the auto industry and have worked hard to get my foot in the door within this industry. Throughout my nine days in New York, I was able to build a great network of business professionals. The advice and guidance I received was very insightful and is something I could never get in a traditional classroom setting. Additionally, I was able to learn about the many facets of this industry and the different avenues I can take to achieve a goal. I enjoyed hearing different individuals’ opinions of the industry, their personal pros and cons to each area of the business, and their story of how they were able to climb the ladder.

4.

The biggest takeaway I have from this experience is that there are many people out there who are willing and happy to help you succeed—you just have to ask.

I landed this internship by sending a cold email to the president of the NY show asking for the opportunity. Having this experience as a junior in college has given me great perspective of the industry. I asked a lot of questions and was able to get answers backed by industry experts’ real-life experiences. I am lucky to have had the opportunity and am certain that this internship will help guide my decision of my future career in business after my graduation in May 2023.

This experience was transformational for my personal life as well. I spent nine days living in a cramped New York hotel room, walking to work, trying new things and was able to immerse myself into the city. Those nine days allowed me to have a trial run of what it’s like to be an adult in Manhattan. It was a challenging but rewarding experience and has inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things, challenging my perspective along the way.

Most importantly, I have learned that there is no better way to learn than to ask questions and get involved. Be a sponge and make an effort to try a challenge because you miss all of the shots that you don’t take.

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Throughout the spring semester, I worked at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office with the Social Services Department as a correctional program specialist. I worked in the county jail assisting inmates with the resources they may need. Social Services provide a multitude of programs to help with rehabilitation such as recovery courses, parenting, expressive arts, and high school. I worked closely with the coordinators as I assisted in organizing the excel sheets for our volunteers and helped plan their first “Thank you” banquet for outside agencies for their volunteering. I helped put together book carts and make class lists to deliver to deputies on each floor. “Call Cards” are the way inmates are able to communicate with Social Services on what their needs are; case laws, contacting their attorney/probation officer, resources, or requesting classes. One of my main responsibilities was to respond to these call cards to help get the inmates their various needs. I also worked closely with the programming dorm, guys with exceptionally good behavior along with good class attendance who are showing progress, assisting them with other resources and things they needed. Through these different tasks and responsibilities, I learned a great deal of information as well as skills through this opportunity.

My internship gave me a new perspective on our criminal justice system and who inmates really are. Stereotypes and social media often misrepresent who inmates are and what being in jail is like. Due to society’s presentation of inmates, they paint them as horrible people who woke up and chose to participate in crime. This is true for some but it is not majority. What is never revealed is what led them to committing crime. Every inmate has a story about their childhood and how they grew up that explains a lot of the reason they ended up in their lifestyle. Almost all my interactions with inmates, they have been polite and helpful getting ready for class. I didn’t have a true assessment on inmates prior to working with them but I did not expect them to be as helpful and polite as they have been through my experience. I have also changed my view on jail — I used to believe that it was somewhere where people went to be punished for their actions. Instead, this particular jail is an inhumane place to be. There is little to no sunlight, no privacy for restrooms, and unfair searches by deputies. I do not think jail needs to be luxurious, but I do think it should be livable. It is unrealistic to lock someone up for two years, completely isolated from the real world and expect them to thrive outside of jail after their release. I was able to adapt to this different environment and begin working with a population I was unfamiliar with. It taught me that I can adjust to situations and different personalities quicker than I thought. It changed how I look at those incarcerated and the real reasons they ended up behind bars.

My interactions with the inmates really shaped my perspective on them. My second day at work, we went to the programming dorm where seven men earned their spot to have extra privileges because they participated in many programs and were showing progress in rehabilitation. One man sat beside me and he was friendly and we had a normal interaction as I would have had with anyone else. Each day I was there, I brought coffee to the programming dorm and they were so appreciative of it. They told me how good it was and thanked me for bringing it to them. There were other interactions like this, it was the little things they appreciated the most. One of my favorite interactions I had with an inmate was the day high school was cancelled. My coworker and I decided to teach high school and tutor the guys. I worked with one guy and helped him complete his entire American history credit! He did it all by himself, but yet he was still so thankful I helped him. To me, I was just there as support but to him, it meant that someone cared enough to take their time and help. Inmates can be very misunderstood and many of them just want someone that cares for them.

Our specialist offers a variety of classes to the men in our facility and I was able to attend a few of these classes. As the guys interact in class, they begin to open up and talk about their lives. Many guys got involved in crime younger than 12 years old stealing cars or selling drugs. Some of them were raised by single parents, many without fathers, incarcerated parents, bad neighborhoods, or even homeless. After hearing a small part of their life story, it is not surprising that many do end up in crime. It opened my eyes that people committing crimes walked a very different path of life than I did. Many had traumatic childhoods and although that is no excuse for crime or addiction, it does offer an explanation.

Lastly, my internship revealed what living in jail is truly like. There are windows in the facility but they are extremely small and barley visible. There is no courtyard for them to go outside and get sunlight or fresh air. Many inmates are locked up for 6 months to over four years without any sunlight ever. The men are behind bars all day every day unless they are working in the kitchen, going to court, have a visit, or are going to a Social Services class. The men receive little to no privacy when using the restroom. The toilet is open in their cell with other men, while many put up sheets to get some privacy, it still isn’t very humane. Deputies randomly search the guys’ tanks and some are mistreating their items by rubbing their toothpaste on the mattress and opening unopened bags of chips and dumping them out. Those on suicide watch are put into a 6×6 cell with no mattress or bed just the concrete floor. The criminal justice system incarcerates individuals with unlivable conditions yet they expect that they will be released back into society as a functioning and productive human being. The system makes it extremely difficult for these men to lead productive lives outside of imprisonment. My internship showed me that in order for the criminal justice system to be reformed, it is important that the root of these major issues such as homelessness and poverty are resolved first.

My internship was extremely valuable to my life because it educated me in a unique experience. Due to the way I was raised and where I grew up, I was unaware of the unfair treatment of the criminal justice system and what it finds acceptable for imprisonment. My internship allowed me to view first-hand what these men go through and gave me the opportunity to form my own opinions on rehabilitation, jail, and the criminal justice system. No matter what career I choose in the criminal justice field, having this experience will shape how I handle situations and how I choose to present myself.

This was taken at the volunteer banquet Social Services hosted.

My step project was an internship at Bober Markey Fedorovich, a regional accounting firm. I spent my time doing taxes for both businesses and individuals, getting experience in a tax “busy season.” Working through a busy season is some of the best experience you get if you’re interested in going into tax. I had many assumptions about how busy season would be for an intern. I thought that our workload would be constant and/or growing throughout the 12 weeks I was there, but it was not quite like that. Starting off we had a steady inflow of tax returns to do, then a couple weeks in we had days of sitting around fighting over the couple of returns that would go into the pool. Then around mid-March to early April we had a heavy workload and had no downtime like we did earlier. About a week before the April 18 deadline the interns’ workload went down again as we were finishing up the returns in the pool and sending them to managers for review.

Additionally, my view of myself changed during my internship. In a school setting, I tend to believe everyone else in the room is smarter than me and I am the least knowledgeable one. Coming into this internship I thought I would struggle the most compared to the others since I often feel that way in a classroom setting. In regular jobs (e.g., my café or restaurant job) I don’t feel this way because those don’t require knowledge from a class I’ve taken. My internship, however, I thought I would need to know things from my past classes in order to succeed. That assumption was incorrect, I did very well in the internship and was able to learn on the job from my peers and managers very well. I got very positive feedback in my exit interview and even got a full-time offer from them for after I graduate.

Working for an accounting firm I really got to see how a business operates. On several returns I would collaborate with audit staff accountants about the work they did to prepare us tax interns to do the client’s return. I also got the opportunity to interact with partners at the firm, who would give us interns a lot of insight on out career paths or Bober Markey specifically. After much collaboration with experienced employees, I learned why the interns had such a fluctuating workload in our 12 weeks there. The returns we started out with are the clients who are on top of their financials and had it all ready for us to go. Then in early February our workload dipped down because we either hadn’t gotten a lot of information from our clients yet or our managers or audit members were preparing it for us to do. Then we had a steady workflow for a while and that was the busiest part of the internship. At the end of the 12 weeks, it made sense that the interns and staff had little to no work to do because we had sent all the returns to managers for review. So, the week leading up to Tax Day is the busiest for partners and managers who are reviewing and sending the returns out the door to the IRS.

During my internship I formed many relationships that attributed to my changed view of myself. The relationships that affected this view of myself the most were the ones with certain managers or senior managers, partners, HR staff, tax staff, and the other interns. Within my company there were probably at least 20-25 managers, so I obviously didn’t have the opportunity to form meaningful connections with all of them. There were about 4-5 managers I got to know better than others that were good mentors/teachers along the way. Some of these managers I got to know by doing a lot of their client’s returns and collaborating with them directly on them, others I got to know from them facilitating our training. Some managers felt I did such a nice job on their returns that they started directly assigning me to some of their client’s returns, rather than putting it in the pool for any staff or intern to grab. This gesture boosted my confidence greatly and helped me realize I did not need to be the “smartest” in the classroom to succeed in a work setting. I was told by the head of HR and certain managers that I was very teachable, adaptable, and worked hard. These characteristics often yield success, which I found in this internship.

Perhaps the closest connections I made were with the other interns. During our slow weeks I really got the chance to connect with the other interns since we had nothing else to do. Through these conversations I found out that a couple of them felt the same way I felt coming in, that we would struggle compared to the others because we weren’t always the smartest in a classroom setting. Finding people who felt this same way was very comforting. It was a great experience to learn alongside other interns and be able to help each other out when we had questions. Everyone seemed to have their strengths in helping people, some good at excel or other technical skills, others good for tax law questions, and others, like myself, good for showing someone how to do something new that a manager had shown me. We were all able to share knowledge with each other and make one another better. Making these relationships with my peers helped me realize my progress in learning the necessary skills of my job duties as well as how I am performing compared to the other interns. Overall, the interactions with all my coworkers helped my confidence and made me realize my potential.

These changes in my confidence and affirmation of my abilities to succeed have made a significant development in my academic and professional goals. My plans after I graduate are to work full time as a Tax Staff Accountant at Bober Markey Fedorovich, a job I secured so early because I undertook this internship. I had a goal of working in public accounting right out of college and I am pleased to have fulfilled this goal at a place I love working. The culture at BMF is a great one to be a part of and I am stoked to have the opportunity to start my career out there. Furthermore, the knowledge I gained from this internship is much more valuable than what I learn in my classes. Getting first-hand experience with tax returns and everything that goes into preparing one is much more than I’d get from my accounting classes. I am excited to take my tax accounting class in the fall and be able to use my knowledge from my internship to help me succeed.

Overall, this internship gave me confidence in a work setting and in the classroom. I made many connections that will serve me well as I go on in my professional life. My internship at BMF was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

My STEP Signature Project was a marketing internship that was completed with the Columbus Blue Jackets during their 2021-22 season.  Being a marketing intern with the team introduced me to the field of sports marketing, providing me experience with in-game activations, promotional schedule planning, event management, and more.

One of the main transformations I experienced during the course of my Signature Project would be an increase in confidence both personally and professionally.  On a professional level, I found that there is absolutely an intercept between both what I am interested in and what I do for work.  Not every person is able to say that they are enthusiastic and extremely interested in what they do for everyday work but my time with the Blue Jackets helped give me faith that I will be able to juxtapose my interests with my career.  I also gained personal confidence as I met many new people that I became closer with and formed meaningful connections with.

Another change in perspective I experienced would be a long term one that altered what I see myself doing throughout my career.  I was introduced to the idea of the fan experience once I arrived at the Blue Jackets and this really changed my mindset in my aspiring sports/entertainment marketing career.  I realized how much value the experience put on display has for fans, users, or customers when they interact with a team or company and that I want to be able to refine during my career.

The first transformation I mentioned, an increase in professional confidence, was instilled by numerous relationships and activities during my internship.  Being on the back end of watch parties, activations inside Nationwide Arena, and involvement with increasing brand awareness helped me see the ways that marketing operates within a large company.  One of the main events that helped incorporate parts from all of my learning would be Rick Nash’s Jersey retirement, a milestone of a night for the organization.  Being a part of the first Blue Jackets jersey retirement allowed for creativity from everyone involved and was a massive learning experience from the planning of the event to the execution of it all.

Another aspect of the internship that made it such an impactful experience would be the amount of opportunities there are to learn.  With the way that the organization works, there are numerous times that I was able to work with people in separate departments and get a peek into what they do.  This was beneficial not only when it came to networking but also to get a good idea of what other opportunities there are in sports.  Whether it was helping game presentation with the execution of one of their activations, working alongside social media to create content, or just interacting with other interns, there were countless times I worked with those outside of marketing to get a big picture of the business.

Finally, the month of April was the last month of my internship but far from the least.  April was packed with home games, projects that needed finished, and for me, finding what was next.  This action packed month and its a success was a testament to my work and my team’s as we successfully navigated through everything.  I had multiple interviews to prep for as I found my succeeding job that I received help from by many people in the organization.  Being able to move forward onto something I am equally excited for helped me feel fulfilled following my Blue Jackets internship.

The overall changes I went through during this Signature Project were valuable in guiding my career and helping me achieve professional goals.  I have always placed tremendous value on being able to work in a field that excites me everyday and I think the Blue Jackets helped to push me in that direction.  Along with the relevant experience I gained during my time there, I was able to form lasting relationships with individuals that show a willingness to help me grow personally and professionally, an invaluable resource.  

The experience I received helped lead me to my next role, as an iGaming Marketing & Operations Intern with DraftKings.  I have no doubt that without my opportunity with the Blue Jackets, I would not be able to move forward with my career in sports and entertainment marketing as I am with this new role.  Ultimately, the time spent as a Marketing Intern with the Columbus Blue Jackets was a hyper transformative time in my career that is due to benefit me in various ways in the future.

STEP Post-Project Reflection Prompts

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

My STEP Signature Project was an “earn and learn” program offered by Bruegger’s Bagels. In exchange for working in Bruegger’s as a team member, the other intern and I were selected to attend weekly meetings to discuss foundational business concepts. By working at Bruegger’s while participating in the internship, we were able to see the business from all perspectives while relating what we learned to what we experienced while working.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

My understanding of the business world changed, as did my interest in entrepreneurship. Prior to this internship, I had very little understanding of what it actually took to run a business. While Ohio State had taught me that there are different aspects to running a business –  finance, accounting, human resources, etc. – this experience was my first opportunity to see all the moving parts working together. Additionally, we were encouraged to think about smaller aspects of business that are often overlooked. We explored business concepts and narrowed down what the essential elements are that all businesses must have. By looking more deeply into what it takes to run a business, I became more aware of the importance of marketing, pleasing the consumer, and building strong relationships with customers, team members, and suppliers. In sum, my understanding of business became simplified while realizing that there is much more to running a business than meets the eye.

In addition to altering how I think of businesses, the experience allowed me to reflect on what aspects of business I like and do not like. By sorting out the likes and dislikes, I can better determine what career path I hope to follow and use this to guide me in applying for future jobs and internships. I realized that I do not have much interest in entrepreneurship, but I am interested in finance and human resources. While I would not want to start or run my own business, I would enjoy working with an established company that offers me good benefits and incentives. I also learned that I want something more than simply working a food-service job. Working in Bruegger’s as a team member was part of the internship program, but I realized that such a job is not fulfilling for me. I did enjoy the customer-interaction part of the job, but would prefer a job that is more challenging and thought-provoking.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

A key aspect of my experience that led to the transformation was the first internship meeting with our leader, Mike. Mike encouraged us to think deeply about businesses by exploring complex and simplified concepts. Our homework assignment for the first week was to go into any business and take note of what we see – people, products, advertisements, seating, etc. After naming broad and specific things we saw, we compared the list to what we see when we enter a Bruegger’s Bagels storefront. What items were similar or the same? What differences were there? In the end, we noted that there are five essential elements to all businesses: a product/service, consumers, employees, facilities & equipment, and cash. By realizing that these common features tie all businesses together, I determined that many businesses are more alike than they seem. This changed the way I view business and led me to realize that some aspects of business are universal!

A second aspect that led to my personal transformation came from conversations with our leader. Mike is an owner of multiple Bruegger’s franchise locations. He spoke in-depth with us about what it took for him personally to be successful and keep the business afloat. He noted the importance of organization and maintaining strong relationships. Not afraid to ask for help, he spoke with other franchise owners about what was involved in investing in such an endeavor. Mike also made us aware of his reliance on other people for operation, including suppliers, customers, team members, and administrative employees. Additionally, he commented on the importance of selecting your target market and advertising to them! The knowledge Mike shared helped me better understand what it takes to run a business, which in turn helped me realize I do not want to pursue a path of entrepreneurship.

A final aspect that helped me narrow down my future career path came from working as an employee in Bruegger’s Bagels. On the job, we took customers’ orders and then prepared their food. Working with other team members, I created bonds and got to experience a team-centered environment. This experience taught me how to work with others in a fast-paced setting and how to interact with customers, both pleasant and rude. I also learned to communicate and ask questions when I was uncertain of what my duties were, what the order was, or how to make a certain sandwich. While I undoubtedly gained skills working in the food industry, I also learned that I have no desire to work in food service in the future. Reflecting on my time, I disliked the simplicity of the work and hope to secure a future job that will challenge me mentally.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

The change and development that I experienced from the internship is immeasurable! From this experience, I gained insight into running a business and could see the importance of each business aspect. The way I view business in general was altered too, given that every business have five common elements. Talking with Mike and working in Bruegger’s, I learned what I like and dislike about business. This knowledge will help me determine what career path to follow and will guide me to focus on human resources and finance in the future. Additionally, I learned that I want to have a job that mentally stimulates and challenges me. From working in the storefront, I realized that I do not like having the same work day repeatedly. I want to secure a job that offers variety and will keep me engaged. Lastly, this experience improved my communication skills and offered me experience working with a team. The importance of communication was emphasized as was the need for a strong team that can work well together. The knowledge I gained will help me narrow down my ideal career path while offering personal experience to reflect on as I do so.

Upper Arlington