This Summer 2023, I was able to complete a Supply Chain internship with PepsiCo at their Frito-Lay Headquarters in Plano, Texas. During these 10 weeks, I helped to facilitate and streamline new seasoning innovations by leveraging cross-functional partners mainly R&D, Engineering, Procurement, and Scheduling to name a few.

This experience was not only valuable to me as a professional growth opportunity by being my first job in Corporate America as well as in a Supply Chain role. Through this, I was able to learn more about what I wish to incorporate in my future career and what type of company I wish to work for in the future. It gave me an opportunity to experience cross-functional collaboration on a global level and taught me the importance of defining a project’s success early on. But during this summer I also had large amounts of personal growth, mainly by the fact that I was the farthest away from any family or friends that I had ever been, for the longest period of time, forcing me to be very independent.  This along with being in Texas for the first time ever, this provided me the opportunity to push myself outside my comfort zone to ensure I saw as much of Dallas as possible during my limited time there.

As mentioned above I was able to undergo large amounts of professional development during my time at PepsiCo, Frito-Lay North America. Not only was the project given to me challenging, as I needed to learn about the background of the company, my team, the different chip manufacturing process, and our cross-functional partners’ roles to allow for effective teamwork. But by being part of the innovation team, a role I immensely enjoyed, I was able to see several different sides of the company as well as utilize some technical skills from my Food Engineering background when working on seasoning innovation. My manager was also an integral part of my success as the scope of my project changed almost weekly forcing us to be very flexible. He showed me the importance of having a manager who’s on your side and invested in ensuring that those working under them feel supported and valued.

An example of this is that my manager greatly took into account the type of internship experience I wanted. Meaning that, as long as I took the initiative and proposed an idea it was never met with disregard, and instead, he would take time to refocus me as needed. Since my first week, I voiced my wishes to be able to see one of the Frito-Lay sites I was working on to get actual hands-on experience with the process I was helping to streamline. Though it took a few weeks, I was eventually able to tour three different plants and even receive the opportunity to accompany my manager on a work trip, truly showing me the unparalleled opportunities one can receive as long as you’re willing to ask and show commitment. Along with this PepsiCo also hosted several networking events for interns to socialize with upper management. Never before had I been given the opportunity to share a meal with the Directors and Vice-Presidents of such a global organization. Through these interactions, I was able to not only build connections but also feel valued as a true asset to the company.

Finally, from a personal level, I underwent so much personal growth over this summer. By being in a new place and over a thousand miles away from my support system, I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I wanted to do an excellent job in my internship while at the same time getting to enjoy Dallas, even if that meant that I had to explore the city alone, which happened on more than one occasion. I still remember my first two weeks, when I still didn’t know anybody, I went and drove 40mins from Plano to Dallas down a major highway for the first time, learned how to parallel park and use a parking garage for the first time, and eat at a restaurant alone for the first time just to explore downtown. I was able to get a lot more comfortable being alone with myself and develop more self-confidence too.

Overall, this summer taught me a great deal about myself. Such as small things about how much I would miss being out in nature, near hiking paths, and not in 100+ degree weather. Or how I don’t love sitting in front of a computer all day going from Zoom meeting, to email to Excel and want a job that requires a bit more physical movement. But it, more importantly, taught me that I truly love the Food engineering degree I’ve chosen and that I am capable of being a good engineer, whether that be in corporate America or in a manufacturing plant. It provided me with a huge confidence booster that I can be independent by supporting myself, providing good results at work, and still enjoying my personal time. This summer proved to me that the biggest limitations for me are those that I’ve placed upon myself and that I have the capabilities for that and so much more.