1. Over the summer, I was the CIG – Food Science Intern at Grande Cheese Company in Wisconsin. Throughout the internship, I worked with the entirety of the Custom Ingredients Group Department in varying capacities to complete my project. This also included the creation of several trials and data collections with different pieces of equipment to achieve the desired product.

2. A handful of growth and development events occurred throughout the completion of my Signature Project. The main one was in understanding myself. I further understand the type of work atmosphere that I enjoy being a part of and which components speak the most to me. This also included a better understanding of what makes me motivated while working on projects. Other things I began to better understand about myself were how much stress truly impacted me and how much structure I like to have for tasks.

The change and understanding of myself primarily stemmed from the various interactions I was able to have with the employees. I gained connections not only with the other interns and individuals within my department, but also those outside of my department who may not have a direct impact on my position. Additionally, I developed a better understanding through my assigned project as guidance was given when asked rather than me being handed a plan.

3. Beginning with the work atmosphere, from the first day I was welcomed with open arms. I was able to ask any question, and all were willing to help find an answer or give me directive of how to find it. The company I was with is a medium-sized company which enables the associates to get to know each other well. They made me feel like I was part of their family even though my time with them was only temporary. I was shown the business side of the department but also got to see how they all have fun with each other as well even if it’s little jokes throughout the workday or celebrating progress no matter how small on projects. As one of the few out of state individuals that were part of the intern program, all associates made it feel as if I had been with the company for a while. They made it feel like this was my home too. My birthday occurs over the summer and my team even brought in goodies to share with the department to help celebrate my birthday.

All of this spoke to me on a deeper level and made me realize how much I enjoyed having that sense of home in a work atmosphere. I have worked places where people enjoy what they do and get along but nothing has quite felt as homey and caring as these individuals were. The company even encourages networking between all associates by having an open networking hour once a month with some refreshments. This event alone exposed me to so many different people that I wouldn’t normally interact with but they all help the business function to its fullest potential. Departments are also encouraged to do a quarterly outing of some sort just to further encourage bonding between associates. The Applications Team and I went out to lunch together but we also had days where the more of the CIG members did things together such as marketing video shoots or attending the annual IFT tradeshow in Chicago.

As for productivity and project motivation, I have always known I enjoy numbers and having an explanation for how things work or why something works in a certain manner. My Signature Project further solidified this knowledge while providing some clarification in terms of what kind of data driven person I am. There are those who are data driven because they are after a certain result and simply want to achieve said end result. They get satisfaction from the final product rather than from progress achieved during the process. I, however, have realized that while it may not be something big, I do enjoy seeing progress. A step in the right direction was always welcomed especially when I had only one main project for the course of the summer.

Additionally, I found motivation in making the process decisions. I learned how to cross-functionally collaborate with our marketing team to determine if my project goal would even be welcomed in the food market. Once a final goal was determined for what market section was being aimed for, there was very little frame work for how to achieve said goal. Beyond doing the initial product research there was minimal existing work done by the company in this region. Guidance was given by both my mentor and manager throughout the experience as I asked or brought up areas of concern. Beyond this guidance, I designed all the trials that were conducted and determined appropriate ingredient ratios through various experiments and some existing knowledge. At the conclusion of my experience, I had the opportunity to share all that I had been working on in depth with the team so they are able to continue what I started.

4. These developments are valuable to my life because they helped me understand what it feels like to be truly valued and appreciated by a company. I know more about what I want from a work atmosphere as I transition into the industry. These changes have also helped me to further understand how I work best in the real world where structure isn’t always provided unless asked for. My potential positions would never be strictly a desk job. There will always be some sort of hands-on work from either doing lab trials or being in a production facility. All of which are unpredictable so a set weekly schedule isn’t something that is necessarily achievable due to the ongoing project(s).

1. Brief description of your STEP Signature Project (2-3 Sentences)

My STEP signature project was my internship for Parcell, a small company creating dropbox technology for commercial and industrial use. I was an electrical engineering intern that got opportunities to work with a variety of sensing instruments and electrical systems. I reported to a higher engineer and was able to work on individual projects that I was able to create solutions to.

1. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? (1-2 paragraph)

The largest thing that changed for me throughout the process of working at an internship was my view of the business process. I felt like I finally got a real view of a real company from the inside.The only information I got before this internship was comments from people I knew, but working in a real company changed my view. I felt like I got a real glimpse of my future in a way and knowing this can allow me to be a lot more decisive in my job search and knowing what kind of a job I want.

1. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature

Project led to the change/transformati on that you discussed in #2, and how did those

affect you? (3-4 paragraph)

There were multiple smaller experiences and relationships I had during my internship that helped shape my view of the company and engineering in life. The engineer that hired me, John, was a huge influence to me while I was Parcell. He always had a calm head and his process for problem solving was obvious as he had done a large design of the project I was working on already with minimal help. I believe he was a great help in showing me what an engineer should strive to be and was a great influence.

Another Experience I had was working with a variety of sensors in order to detect objects to count them in toolboxes. I had the opportunity to design and sodder my own rig of break beam sensors which was a valuable hands on experience. I also had the opportunity to try and design my own machine learning camera to take pictures of individual shelves to check if objects are there. This experience was very useful for my professional development.

A final experience I had while working at Parcell was dealing with others in a corporate environment. I think a large part of working at a company is being able to work with the people there. This experience was a great introduction to working with others on projects in real time. I gained experience with programs like Jira, Slack, and other organizing software for companies. Just basic experience with things like this is what I hoped to gain from an internship.

1. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? (1-2 paragraph)

These changes in my life are significant because they provided me with experience with the subjects that I hope to go into in the future. This is invaluable as knowing the basics of working are a great way to impress people in a company. Some changes were significant to my technical knowledge as well which will be great for my professional career in the future. I am very grateful for the STEP experience as it allowed me to have an even better internship than I would have had without it.

Here are some photos of the sensors that I worked on

For my STEP Signature Project, I interned at a real estate private equity firm that is located right outside of Washington D.C. Real estate private equity refers to the use of funds from private investors such as endowment funds, insurance companies, and high net-worth individuals to invest in real estate assets or companies. The firm I interned at, FCP, allowed me to rotate through all of their business functions to get a well-rounded understanding of what it takes to invest in real estate.

Prior to my internship, I had a base level understanding of real estate private equity by doing research online and taking real estate courses in the business school. I wanted to do this internship because it is one of few rotational internships in the real estate private equity sector. My goal was to use this internship to gain more clarity into what function of real estate I would like to work in post-graduation. After my internship was over, I realized how much I like interacting with others and traveling outside the office. My guy was telling me I wanted to stick with a development or transaction related role, and that gut feeling still stands. 

By rotating through various business line for 7 weeks, I was able to identify what I liked and did not like by typing up a reflection on each team after I completed the week with them. By week 7, I came to the conclusion that I would like to potentially work globally and real estate development would be the best long-term career path for me due to the variety of knowledge and duties I would use. I also knew development was the path for me due to my passion for economic development. I have always wanted to combine soft and hard skills in my work to be able to make an impact. 

Spending a week with the development team at FCP gave me the clarification that I needed to conclude that real estate development is the right path for me. I was able to participate in a simulation of the process required to be able to develop a property from start to finish. I also had some hands-on projects that would leave a positive impact on the community once the property in question was finished. 

I completed several site tours during the duration of my internship. One of these tours included a site tour of a 20+ story apartment building. That was one of the most exciting activities I completed during my internship. I also toured a multifamily property that had designated affordable units. Affordable housing is something that I am very passionate about so I was excited to see this property in person. My last property tour was an office building located in the heart of D.C that was for sale. This building had many well known companies as tenants such as Ford Motor Company. I had never toured an office property before, so I enjoyed learning the key differences that are important when selling or purchasing this property type.

For my capstone project, I chose a difficult concept to present to the investment committee: GP Interest Transaction Opportunities for LIHTC Properties. This is a complex deal structure where an investor can essentially buy interest into individual assets, portfolios, or operating platforms. I spent each Friday of my internship working on this capstone project. 

In order to do research for my capstone, I worked closely with the Vice President of Impact Investments at FCP. She had years of expertise and was able to help me understand this topic and formulate my powerpoint in a way that would best explain the value proposition to the investment committee. I enjoyed working on this capstone. I am glad this topic was presented to me because it is something most interns would not be exposed to. There are seasoned professionals in the real estate industry who are not familiar with GP interest transactions so I am very grateful to have had this exposure so early in my career.

This internship was key in helping me to conclude where I want to start my career in commercial real estate. The rotational aspect of the internship allowed me to complete projects with different teams and shadow the analysts of these teams to see if I could see myself in that role in the future. I was able to sit in very important calls and had access to private information that I found very intriguing and informational. Now, I am confident in my career trajectory and look forward to using the skills I gained over the summer in my first job after college.

From day one, I was able to make an immediate impact on my team. Contributing to such a great company has enriched my skills, expanded my network, and thus allowed me to walk away with unforgettable memories. Throughout these 10 weeks, I spent my time with Amazon Operations leading a team of 40 associates across various shifts. My primary focus each day was to maximize productivity, safety, and quality goals within the CAP department. As an Area Manager Intern, I analyzed individual and team performances to determine where there were inefficiencies to provide essential support. Off the floor, I worked on an extensive project aimed at simplifying the damage process.

Following the completion of my internship, I now realize how important company culture is to one’s career development. At Amazon, one of their leadership principles is “Hire and Develop the Best”. When Amazon recognizes potential, they will do everything they can to help you develop into a leader. That’s something I really appreciated about Amazon. The fact is that if you’re willing to put in the work, the possibilities are endless. As someone who’s constantly pushing the limits to be a better version of myself every day, emphasis on career development has become a priority on my list. Moving forward, that will be one of the main aspects I look for when pursuing my next career aspiration.

The moment I realized I valued career development over any other factors was when I learned everything there was to be an Area Manager. After about 2 months, I could run a shift to perfection even though we lacked leadership in my department. At that point, I was exceeding expectations and knew I had become a valuable asset to the team but I wasn’t necessarily satisfied. My eagerness to learn more had me wondering what the next step could be. A different department? A promotion to Operations Manager? All I knew was that I wanted to continue developing and gaining new experiences so I could be a well-rounded manager. 

Moving along my manager Britiney, who had mentored me these past few months has been someone I greatly admire for her journey through Amazon. After our initial 1:1, I walked away with not only a different perspective on my manager but also career development. She started off as a Tier 1 Associate and over the years, her hard work has given her the opportunity to become a Tier 5 Area Manager. It comes to show how Amazon wants to see its employees grow if they wish to develop in their careers. Britney mentioned one of the reasons she’s been with Amazon for over 6 years is due to the opportunities they gave her to develop. From my perspective, that’s totally valid, which is why I want to work for a company that looks out for my best interest personally and professionally.

Lastly, about halfway through my internship, I noticed that managers were being moved around left and right. Every department had changed in one way or another and it had me wondering why. I learned that the majority of those who got moved had requested to do so to learn more outside of their department. These managers asked for change and that’s what they got. For those that didn’t want to be moved, the GM at my facility had said he saw potential in them and knew they could handle it. Even when you believe in yourself, Amazon will and wants to see you continue developing.

In conclusion, my mindset revolving around career development has changed tremendously after completing this internship. Beforehand, I was rather money-oriented, only chasing where I could make the most money. Realizing that money doesn’t bring me happiness has helped me decide I want to be at a company that emphasizes my career growth. One day, I hope to be in a position where my decisions will greatly impact a company so that I can make a truly positive impact. That is ultimately my professional goal which is why I’ll only consider working for companies that encourage promoting from within moving forward.

STEP funding allowed me to live in Miami, Florida this past summer interning for the Department of Defense. As a Latin America studies research intern, I improved upon my Spanish skills and professional experience. I worked with military personnel and learned about how the U.S. military builds partnerships with Latin American governments.

Interning at the Department of Defense was transformative for me and challenged my assumptions about how the military operates. As a liberal college student, I expected to disagree with certain aspects of the working environment. However, I was happily surprised to be reminded that there are always more shared values than the ones that divide us. While many of my coworkers held different political views, we were all united in the defense of the United States of America.

I have always been a big advocate of experiential learning. Academic learning in the classroom is valuable and equips you with the theoretical knowledge to work. Experiential learning like this internship equipped me with the skills and practical experience that I will bring with me to my next job opportunity. Learning about military culture and developing personal and professional relationships helped me better connect with others.

Living in Miami was incredible. Although I am a Spanish major, I have not had the opportunity to study abroad. Miami is the closest you can get to Latin America in the United States. I was immersed in the culture and the language. Speaking another language opens up the world and even if my Spanish was not perfect, I know that native speakers were just happy that I was learning and trying. One of my best memories from this summer was a flight where I sat next to a quiet older lady. When the flight attendant came down the aisle with beverages, my seatmate answered in Spanish. For the next two hours, I got to know this woman and her story. She was so wonderful and really introduced me to how welcoming and warm Latin American culture is. At the baggage claim, we exchanged contact info so I could practice my Spanish and she could practice her English.

Throughout my internship, I attended trainings, meetings, and conferences with experts in Latin American studies and defense. I was blessed to have many mentors who helped me get adjusted to the fast-paced environment. My coworkers were welcoming but also pushed me to produce my best work. The culmination of my work was a report on natural resources in Colombia. It was very rewarding to receive positive feedback and to see the impact of my research on senior leadership.

STEP funding enabled me to pay for transportation and travel costs associated with working at the Department of Defense. I had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to shadow the national defense community. This would not have been possible without STEP funding and I am very grateful for this program. My internship prepared me for work after graduation and put me in a great position to secure a job after graduation. This internship was truly transformational and it has given me a new perspective on public service.

My STEP signature project was an accounting and finance internship with Resolvit Resources, LLC. Resolvit is an IT Management and Consulting company with offices in Cincinnati, Raleigh, New Orleans, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Ecuador, Canada, India, and remote workers stationed throughout the United States. I stepped in and worked as the Accounts Payable Specialist in Cincinnati. Effectively, I was responsible for any money leaving the United States bank accounts and the resulting bookkeeping.

My experience working at Resolvit this summer is responsible for an abundance of growth both professionally and personally. Professionally, I was given the responsibility to manage all transactions related to money leaving the bank account. This meant I was constantly processing invoices, communicating with vendors and intracompany departments, creating detailed spend reports, processing intracompany expenses, funding our foreign operations, and monitoring the cash levels in our bank account to ensure cash levels were sufficient for payroll and upcoming big-ticket items. Similarly, I was responsible for the bookkeeping and reconciliations for the previously mentioned tasks which reinforced a lot of accounting principles. Furthermore, I did a lot of work with the Human Resources department and our payroll provider to correctly register and file quarterly reports for the states we actively deal in.

Personally, this experience taught me how to foster relationships in the workplace with peers ranging in all ages, departments, and titles. I was at the bottom of the totem pole as far as title goes but got the opportunity to work daily with the CFO and Controller, sit in meetings with the CEO, and constantly coordinate with the CTO and head of Human Resources. I learned how to balance these relationships from a business and personal standpoint and both the enjoyment and quality of work benefitted. This job also gave me insight into the industry and set expectations for my future career. I have a much clearer image of what I envision for my future, and while I’m planning to shift from this line of work, I am very grateful for the relationships and all I learned. I’m confident that this internship gave me some of the best hands-on experience possible for a summer job.

The growth I experienced this summer can be summarized in three main relationships. The first and most important relationship that was pivotal in the success of this internship was with the Controller. The Controller was my immediate boss and was responsible for getting me up and running. He was able to take my prior knowledge about accounting, finance, and data analytics and apply it to the business. He showed me the systems, processes, and techniques to take book knowledge and make it applicable in the real world. It was from him that I learned a great deal about accounting principles and bookkeeping. He also did a great job of explaining how the business operated and the interactions between departments that made the wheel turn.

The second relationship that made this experience transformational was with the CFO. I would talk with the CFO through teams almost every day and would meet with him through Zoom twice a week to catch each other up and ensure things were on the same page. The relationship was transformative in the sense that he did a lot of what I wanted to do in the future. He took the daily reports I’d send, financial statements, and forecasted data from the United States and Foreign operations to make financial decisions about the future of the company. It was from him I learned a great deal about how to manage different operations as one and use numbers to tell a story and plan. Similarly, he was great about always looking for advice to give me. Almost anytime he thought of something that he was dealing with that could be a valuable lesson for me in the future he would shoot a team or bring it up in the next meeting. He did a great job of showcasing how he was using different reports from my day-to-day work to do his job.

The last relationship which contributed to the success of this experience was with all the other departments. I was coordinating with human resources for payroll, audits, and state filings. Meeting with IT to make sure all technological expenses were paid for and getting them reports on their spending. Talking with the sales and solutions teams to give them breakdowns of their spending activity and the necessary funds. I assisted the recruiters by ensuring their services and expenses were up to date. I was able to build connections with everyone in these departments as well as gain insight into what they do and how they do it by directly assisting or indirectly from the back end. Due to the nature of the job and being responsible for all payments out from the company, I got great insight into the tools and expenses each department utilized which painted a clear picture into what it is they do. It allowed me to understand all the functions of the business – an insight I’m not sure I would’ve gotten elsewhere this summer.

This transformation was significant to my future aspirations in the sense that it built a solid foundation upon which the rest of my career can be built. This internship gave me insights into a multitude of business departments and furthered my financial knowledge greatly. While I don’t want to continue working as an accountant, I think the hands-on accounting experience will prove critical as I continue with my finance journey. There’s no better way to understand financial statements than being the one crafting them. I have a much better understanding of what goes into the reports on which I will base business decisions in the future. Furthermore, I have dreams of starting my own business. I know the work I did this summer and the lessons I learned will be critical to my success as I get the business up and running. Understanding bookkeeping is an immensely valuable skill that will be useful for the rest of my life. In fact, I have a friend who is starting his own part-time production company and he has asked me to take act as the controller while the business is getting off the ground. Already, this serves as an example of how these past three months have opened doors to new opportunities not previously achievable.

For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in a marketing internship for The Cincinnati Insurance Companies. I learned a new email marketing software Acoustic, I produced and sent over 170 product bulletins and newsletters, and I also assisted in creating a companywide taxonomy. I also participated in an intern group project in which we presented to our managers and peers.

With the start of May and the end of the school year comes a new wave of promise and opportunity. For me, it was the beginning of my STEP project, an internship with The Cincinnati Insurance Companies. I was very excited because this was my first marketing internship of my professional career. Before the program started, I was nervous. Nervous about what to wear, how to act, and if I would know what insurance associates were talking about in a conversation. Without a doubt, after my internship I have gained so much confidence and developed into a marketing professional. Before the internship, I had some assumptions about the corporate world and what it would be like. I thought everyone would wear business suits and send serious emails late into the night. What I learned is that everyone who is an employee is also a person who wants to have a fulfilling career and personal life.

Along with new perspectives, I also gained a new outlook on life. As I approach the start of my senior year, it has finally sunk in that this is my last year of college. For my entire life all I have known is school. I’ve loved the experiences, appreciated the people, but it is time to put the knowledge to the test. With this internship, I gained a valuable insight into how having a full-time job can change your life. It comes with real responsibilities and deadlines, but it also brings a stable income and professional relationships. This internship has taught me the benefits of having a positive attitude and working hard. People you work with can be extremely helpful if you treat everyone with respect.

A relationship that made me recognize the importance of professional connections is the one with my manager. I really look up to my manager and admire her hardworking attitude. She taught me so much about being kind to others and making time to help out. Even though she is incredibly busy, she schedules touch points with all of those she manages to check in and give time for questions. For me, that is a great example of selfless leadership. She inspires me to be a better employee and care about my work.

The second aspect of my internship that I learned a lot from was my intern group project. The prompt was to research a developing technology for the Cincinnati Customer Care Center. Through this, I got to work with a team with varied backgrounds. Some people were strong in IT, others enjoyed graphic design. It was a fun challenge to figure out what tasks each person would excel at. I also appreciated the opportunity to present in front of a large audience.

And finally, the day-to-day responsibilities taught me so much about my work style and the best way to communicate with other professionals. I learned how everyone has different preferences and ways of completing tasks. I enjoyed the flexibility that the company provided. All of my co workers trusted me to get tasks done on time and so I could arrange my schedule in the way that works best for me. This made me excited for what is to come after college because I believe that the professional world is becoming more open and accepting outside of a traditional 9-5.

This transformation through my internship was crucial before my senior year. In my major of Marketing there are so many avenues you can go down. This internship allowed me to narrow down what I want to do. One day in the summer, the other Marketing intern and I had the opportunity to shadow an advertising firm. Immediately, I was drawn to the company and the people who work there. I am now taking an advertising and promotional strategies class in which I can pursue this passion further. If I had any advice for college students, it would be to get an internship in your major to determine what you are interested in. Aside from professional development, I also grew personally. I am starting to understand more about what hobbies are realistic when I have a full-time job. This knowledge about myself will aid in deciding where I want to live, and what type of career I want. I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity and all of the help and guidance STEP has provided.

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 internship in Columbus, Ohio with IBM iX. At IBM iX I was a motion design intern and assisted senior motion designers with their design projects while working for the client Tidy Cats. 

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.

Through my internship with IBM iX this summer, I grew tremendously as a professional and designer. I was surrounded by extremely talented designers and also had the opportunity to work with clients and network with others within the company. I became much more confident in my abilities to communicate in a professional way as well as have the courage to ask questions. Throughout the summer I had the opportunity to learn Adobe Software as well as Figma and Trello. These will all be very useful in my professional career. I am leaving IBM iX with a better understanding of my abilities, more self-aware, and more confident. 

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.

During my time at IBM iX, I was mentored by Brooke Cardoza. Brooke was an incredible mentor to me and I learned so much from her. I was also able to shadow the rest of the Columbus team and meet with several individuals outside of my team to learn more about their positions. Brooke is a very talented designer and watching her work was amazing. She also gave me great direction with my design work and constantly encouraged me to learn more. She was very patient and I loved working with her. 

Having the opportunity to meet with other individuals outside of my team was also a great experience. I had the ability to learn about other career paths that I had not heard of before and network with lots of professionals. This was one of the best parts of my internship. I felt that these connections and the information I learned from these people were incredibly useful and will continue to be in the future. I love the direction that it gave me and I am grateful for the time they spent with me. 

This entire summer was a great experience. Getting to be a part of such a skilled team of designers was very eye-opening. The work that goes into their projects is so amazing and it taught me so much. I loved getting to shadow other people on their projects just to see how different each one can be. Hearing about their client interactions was also very helpful and prepared me for things in my career that may be similar. 

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 plans.

As I am entering my senior year of college, I am preparing to search for a full-time career. This internship helped guide me in the right direction and also set me up for great success. I want to be as prepared as I can be going into this change and IBM iX helped me do that. I feel much more confident in my abilities as an individual as well as my path in life. Having the connections that I made while at IBM iX will also be very useful as I venture into my career. I am leaving IBM iX as a better designer, person, professional, and team member.

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. 

My STEP signature project was a 10 week internship with the Milwaukee Bucks. I was a customer data intern, where I was assisting their digital marketing and analytics teams. My main activities consisted of analyzing marketing campaigns to increase ticket revenue sales in the pre season and assisting in additional campaign ideas. 

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? 

During the course of my internship, my understanding of myself and my perspective on the world underwent a transformative shift. As I delved into real-world projects and collaborated with diverse teams, I realized the depth of my capabilities and the importance of adaptability. Initially, I held certain assumptions about the rigidity of processes and the linear nature of problem-solving. Yet, the dynamic and constantly changing characteristics of the professional environment dismantled these prior assumptions. This internship experience not only refined my technical skills but also taught me the value of open-mindedness, effective communication, and the constant pursuit of knowledge. As I move forward, I carry with me a newfound understanding of my own potential and a more nuanced worldview that is shaped by diverse perspectives and continuous learning.

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?

The first activity that I dove into for my internship taught me the constant pursuit of knowledge and how the ever changing world affects the workplace. I was assigned to create and deploy five SMS campaigns to drive retail sales. The SMS platform was completely new to the company and had just finished its free trial. I was assigned to research the most effective way these messages can drive sales and what other platforms other NBA teams were using. This taught me how important it is to stay up with marketing trends in the workplace and to maximize revenue through many different channels. 

The other major transformation I experienced was the importance of adaptability and working with diverse teams. I was assigned to create reports that required the help from both teams that I worked with. It was important to stay in communication about what was expected from both teams and adapt to their unique dynamics, goals, and working styles. I also observed the importance of communication through the entire marketing department and how they all work as one unit. The department had semi-weekly meetings to discuss their goals and make sure they were all on one page. I learned that even though each team has different tasks they all need to operate as one and can get new ideas from each other. 

 I was also required to volunteer weekly at local organizations around Milwaukee. This shaped my perspective on the world in multifaceted ways. I encountered diverse cultures, backgrounds, and circumstances I would not have encountered otherwise. This exposure cultivated empathy and a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by various communities around me. I participated in Riverkeeper, which embraced the importance of keeping the Milwaukee River clean and how it affects the whole community around it. I also participated in the local food bank and worked with young kids around the community. All in all, this experience instilled an appreciation for the interconnectedness of the Milwaukee and global community. 

Lastly, I had the opportunity to go on sponsorship tours. This required visiting many companies that sponsor the Bucks and viewing their facilities. This opened my eyes to the many different industries in the workplace and explored my interests. I also had the ability to interact with individuals from different backgrounds and industries, which broadened my network and enhanced my understanding of how the Bucks and my internship operated. 

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life?

Each transformation I acquired holds immense value in many facets of my life. The skills I learned will equip me to navigate challenges and opportunities in my personal endeavors. They will give me a large network to continue my career in sports and hopefully land a full time job after graduation. These transformations also gave me so many skills I can continue to use in my first corporate job. Along with these skills, outside of work, the exposure to diverse perspectives and the global intricacies gained during the internship broaden my understanding of the world. This broader worldview enriches my interactions with people from various backgrounds and helps me engage in more discussions with societal issues. I especially can relate to this as this was the first time I moved out of Ohio for any amount of time and lived completely by myself. The knowledge gained from staying updated with industry trends and the importance of continuous learning also strengthens my commitment to self-improvement and lifelong education. Ultimately, the transformations fostered by my internship serve as a compass guiding me toward holistic personal growth. They empower me to adapt to changing circumstances, contribute positively to my community, and approach life’s challenges with a combination of open-mindedness and resourcefulness. These changes will continue to be valuable as I start my search for my first full time job.

This summer I had the unique opportunity to spend 12 weeks in Beaverton, OR as an undergraduate Digital Product Creation intern with Nike, Inc. at their world headquarters under the Consumer Creation Operations function developing both personal and professional experiences along the way. This incredible experience was shared with 293 interns from around the nation as we participated in both internal and external networking events, fireside chats with executive leaders, competitive challenges in innovation, and the chance to hear from the greatest athletes supported by the brand.

The sportswear industry has always been an unexplored passion given my student-athlete background representing Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field here at Ohio State — this summer was the chance to undertake an internship like no other where our consumer was every athlete, and if you have a body you are an athlete in the vision of Nike, Jordan, and Converse. Until this point, I’d never felt the same excitement to come into the office in prior internships as I did this summer, and much of that was due to the amazing product and athletes that we get work with each and everyday of this internship.

To describe the culture at Nike, Inc. would be an environment of work hard, play hard. The world headquarter campus is unlike no other with every athletic facility one can ask for, unlimited resources to encourage an athletic lifestyle, and countless employees to train with at any time of the year. Throughout the internship program I built new, genuine relationships with many interns and FTEs, delivered on an automated data management process for my team to implement immediately, and proudly represented the Jordan Brand as one of four finalists in our intern combine event.

Through coffee chats, virtual introductions, and even campus walks I’ve left the summer with an incredibly talented network of Nike innovators and athletes which have broadened my understanding on the career possibilities and growth opportunities within the ever-growing sportswear industry.

The combine event consisted of 188 interns split amongst 22 teams between the Nike, Jordan, and Converse brands as we were challenged to develop new business ideas for the company. Having just two days to deliver and compete against the various teams in front of an impressive judge panel, my team was fortunate enough to qualify for the finalist round where we presented again but this time on the theatre stage that most employees never get the chance to do during their career at the company.

This culmination of events, interactions, relationships, and activities during my twelve weeks transformed the intentionality of my career decisions and allowed me to finally experience having an opportunity that I felt passionate and excited about. My standard going in had already been quite high in comparison to prior summer internships, but Nike completely blew away my expectations and I could not be more thankful to have been one of the interns in this year’s diverse 2023 class.

The future academic, personal, and professional goals have drastically changed because of this summer STEP experience and my focus now lies in entering the sportswear industry following graduation while researching graduate programs to further enhance the necessary skills to excel in this field of work.