- My STEP Signature Project was a global internship through the Fisher College of Business in Madrid, Spain. The program was 3 weeks long and I interned as a consultant at Sacyr, a global construction firm. My fellow interns and I were tasked with redesigning the proposal writing process the company currently uses. Each day we researched, brainstormed, and designed in order to present our final project. In the end, we were able to develop a completely new template and incorporate our own ideas and research finds.
- I truly had a transformative experience in Madrid and learned more about myself and my capabilities than I ever thought was possible. I had never traveled outside of the country prior to this trip so to be given this opportunity was something I will forever be grateful for. I absolutely loved the culture, architecture, and food in Madrid. I had to learn how to adapt to new surroundings rather quickly and by day 3 I found myself swiftly navigating the metro and conversing with the locals! I proved to myself that regardless of where I end up post graduation, I am more than capable of adjusting to a new environment. I am quite the homebody but this experience taught me that I have a sense of adventure and can take on the world!
As far as the internship portion of my trip, I retained many valuable skills that I will take with me into the world of business. Having to work with a team every day definitely had its challenges, as we all had differing perspectives to contribute. My biggest takeaway from this was learning how to compromise within a team in order to make important decisions. It definitely took time to find our group dynamic but once we did we were very successful. I am so grateful to have developed my teamwork skills in such a significant way from working at Sacyr.
- My time at Sacyr in Madrid has changed me in countless ways. From all of the amazing relationships I formed, the key business skills I adapted from working in a corporate setting, and the self discovery along the way, I definitely have grown for the better. One of the most influential people I met on my journey was our supervisor at Sacyr, Juan Grimaldi. Juan constantly encouraged me to share my opinions in team meetings and validated my thoughts even when I was anxious to present them. This instilled a new sense of confidence in me and allowed me to confirm to myself that I am cut out for the business field. After our final presentation, Juan gave me some very useful pointers and applauded my public speaking ability. Receiving such positive guidance and feedback from someone so high up in an international company has given me the drive I need to succeed in the business world.
The project my team was tasked with competing was very outside of my comfort zone. When I first learned that our team would be consulting for a construction firm, I was highly anxious because my interests are in fashion and marketing. However, what I didn’t know at the time is that working in a field completely new to me would broaden my horizons greatly. I feel as though I am a much more well rounded candidate now as I have experience in all aspects of business. I don’t particularly like the construction businesses but am so proud of myself for using my skills to bring a fresh perspective to our final project. I brought a sense of creativity to the field and it felt really rewarding to add my own spin on the project. The success of the final presentation showed me that it doesn’t matter what company I am placed in, I am able to use my knowledge and skills to succeed.
The group of people who impacted my experience the most was definitely my team at Sacyr. I was in a group of three other students from Ohio State and we all had to be in agreement of what we wanted to present to the board. This was by far one of the most challenging things I have ever had to do as some of my group mates had very different ideas from mine. I had to learn how to collaborate, compromise, and work through disagreements in order to ensure the final project was near perfect. I used my voice to speak up and ensure my opinions were being considered which was not easy for me. I learned how to be patient and hear out other ideas as well as how to properly convey my own. This is definitely the skill set that I believe will benefit me the most in the real world.
- The transformations that I experienced during my time in Madrid are very valuable to all aspects of my life and have made me a better person all around for the future. Traveling abroad definitely altered my perspective on the things that matter most in life. I tend to stress a lot about academics and allow one bad grade to consume my life. Now that I have seen what the world has to offer and was able to experience life abroad, I know that in the grand scheme of things one bad grade does not define me. As far as my personal life, I have built so many important friendships from this experience. I arrived in Madrid with fifteen strangers from Ohio State and returned with a group of close friends. Living abroad together for three weeks and living through all of these amazing experiences has bonded us all for life and I am beyond grateful to have met the most amazing people! I think I have learned and grown professionally the most out of any aspect. I hadn’t had the opportunity to work a 9-5 corporate style job prior to my time at Sacyr. I felt very immersed into the business and was able to really picture myself working in this environment. I polished my public speaking, teamwork, and quick thinking skills over the course of my three weeks at Sacyr and am excited to take my improved skillset with me to future jobs. All in all, this internship in Madrid was the best experience of my entire life and the friends I made, lessons I learned, and experiences I lived were absolutely life changing.
