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Meet #CrusaderIntern Daniel Mendez ’20, Programmer Analyst Intern at American Mathematical Society

1. Tell us about where you interned over the summer and the kind of work you are doing.

I interned in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the main goal for my internship was to create a new help system for MathSciNet, which is a website used by American Mathematical Society (AMS). This involved working on backend (SQL, Scala) and frontend (Javascript – Vue.js framework, Html, CSS) aspects of full stack development. I created mock ups of help pages for testing queries/output in which databases such as PostgreSQL and Elasticsearch were needed to store/update/delete data. This was a test driven development environment where I would write code for some modules and write code that would test those modules. Lastly, I used tools such as Git for source code control.

2. Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

There were some cs courses that helped me out more than others for this internship. For example, I had to work with such a large amount of data, so using the appropriate data structures to store and access that data was important for memory and time considerations. Therefore, my Data Structures course(csci132) was definitely helpful with this. Furthermore, there are many styles in which to program which are called paradigms. I learned about the majority of these paradigms in my Programming Languages Design and Implementation course(csci324). This course was also helpful when I had to program in Scala for my internship because the internship required me to use different paradigms such as Functional Programming and Object Oriented Programming. Lastly, generally speaking my academic learnings have sharpened my critical thinking skills and have helped me easily work with people from different backgrounds. Therefore, being able to make my own judgments on an issue and articulate my solution to a co-worker is as important as being able to take constructed criticism from that same co-worker.

3. What has surprised you about being an intern?

I have had internships in the past, but they were mainly composed of running errands for the actual employees. Your typical coffee runs and printing out copies, etc. However, for this internship at AMS, I felt more like an actual employee. From the first day I was given a large project to work on and the expectation to learn a plethora of tools and technologies that I had never heard about. This responsibility gave me some pressure, but it also made me grateful and privileged for the position I was in.

4. How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

Part of my future career plan is to attain a job where I don’t have to push myself to go, rather the job excites me enough to pull me into work everyday. I can definitely say I had this feeling sometimes when I worked at AMS. Therefore, working as a software developer is an option I am heavily considering. Furthermore, I plan on obtaining a masters degree after working for a few years, so the area of focus for this may very well be computer science. If not then I may do a crossover between both of my majors in computer science and physics such as Electronics.

5. Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

Be open minded because although you may not obtain the exact internship you wanted, it may turn out to be something you enjoy. Even if it’s not then you still have that connection with the company and its employees which may be helpful a few years down the road. Also, if you don’t hear back from several internships you applied for, don’t give up. It’s their loss not yours. Keeping a positive attitude while you’re applying to internships and going through interviews is very important.
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Meet #CrusaderIntern Chris Puntasecca ’19, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

1.  Tell us about where you interned during your summers at Holy Cross and the kind of work you were doing.

In the summers following my sophomore and junior years, I interned with a pharmaceutical company, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, in Tarrtyown, New York. As part of their clinical affairs group, I dealt with databases associated with clinical trials for some of their drugs in development. In my first summer, I worked primarily in a data management role, assisting in the testing of new clinical databases and helping to identify potential protocol deviations and other discrepant patient data. In my second summer, I switched over to a database development role, and helped to actually design the electronic report forms for upcoming clinical trials.

2. Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

The things I learned in my biology and chemistry courses at Holy Cross definitely came in handy when working with clinical data. Part of my role involved reading through a clinical trial protocol and identifying the types of fields that would need to be present in an associated database. My experiences reading and writing lab reports at Holy Cross prepared me to read these protocols critically and ensured that I was comfortable analyzing pages of dense, technical text.

3. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry?  

I was eager to work in pharmaceuticals for at least a summer so that I could gain exposure to large-scale research outside of an academic setting. My initial goal was to intern in a lab, and when my employer at Regeneron ultimately offered me a position in data management, I wasn’t sure if I would find the work interesting. In the end, however, I really enjoyed the work I was involved in, as it revealed an entire aspect of the research process that I had never seen before. I had the option to switch into a “pre-clinical” research lab for my second internship, but I eventually chose to pursue database development as I saw it as a more unique opportunity to gain technical skills.

4. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

My biggest commitment on campus was on the track and field team, where I competed as a decathlete. Aside from athletics, I worked in Professor Isaacs’s organic chemistry research lab, worked as a TA, and tutored through the STEM+E workshop in academic services. I was also involved in student government for three years, and volunteered at a local rehabilitation center through SPUD.

5. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

I would tell anyone on campus to find one or two commitments that they’re truly passionate about and pursue them. While I learned a lot and truly enjoyed my involvement on campus, I found that my experiences on the track team were by far the most meaningful and the ones that come to mind most readily when I think back on my time in college. From a practical standpoint, interviewers are going to look for someone who’s driven and passionate about what they do. If you have an extracurricular commitment that really means a lot to you, you’ll not only make great friends and memories, but also have a huge advantage when answering interview questions about your growth and personal experiences in college.
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Meet #CrusaderIntern Noah Sisk ’20, Constituent Services Intern for the Office of Congressman Joe Courtney

1. Tell us about your internship and the work that you are doing this summer.

This summer, I serve as the Constituent Services Intern for the office of Congressman Joe Courtney. My daily responsibilities included taking notes at frequent meetings, preparing media clips, and answering and directing constituent phone calls. I also accompanied the Congressman and other senior staff members on visits throughout the district to local businesses and community organizations. As the summer progressed, I was been able to more closely observe public policy issues such as offshore wind energy and veterans’ affairs in order to gain deep insight into the operations of a congressional staff. 

2. What is the coolest thing about your internship or the company/organization where you intern?
While at Holy Cross throughout the school year, it can be easy to lose track of what’s happening in my home state. However, the coolest thing about my internship is that it’s given me the opportunity to become better educated on the issues that are most important to the people of eastern Connecticut. This summer, I listened to countless calls from individuals of all political leanings on everything from impeachment and gun control to toll roads and lobster fishing. Through this, I’ve been exposed to American democracy at the most basic level as I interact with constituents and hear their concerns.

 
3. What has surprised you about being an intern? 
I think what’s most surprising to me about my internship has been learning just how essential a talented staff is to the success of a congressional office and the wide variety of support roles they provide. Behind any elected official is a team of passionate individuals each committed to public service, and this experience has deepened my appreciation for those working behind the scenes. It’s been an honor to be welcomed by a warm group of people who are committed to serving the residents of Connecticut.

 

4. How has this internship influenced your future career plans?  
This internship has definitely helped me to identify working in a congressional office as one potential career choice. Next semester, I’ll be interning in Washington DC and while I haven’t selected an internship yet, I hope that both experiences will provide me with greater perspective in choosing my career.

 

5. Any internship advise to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

Always say yes if you’re asked to complete any optional tasks or attend optional events and meetings! You never know who you might meet or what you’ll take away from an experience, so always keep yourself open to whatever opportunities present themselves. It’s important to soak up every available opportunity for growth within this limited amount of time!
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Meet #CrusaderIntern Kayleigh Hoagland ’20, Women’s Sports Foundation

1. Tell us about your internship and the work that you are doing this summer.

Some of the work that I did at my internship this summer includes research for the Women’s Sports Foundation’s annual Individual Sportswoman of the Year award, writing bios for the top 10 athletes for this award, reviewing and evaluating scholarship and grant applications, writing bios for the selected grantees, and attending and assisting with local events and sports clinics with various WSF community partners.

2. What is the coolest thing about your internship or the company/organization where you intern?

My favorite thing about working at WSF this summer was the people. Everyone in my office was so warm and welcoming and they genuinely wanted me to learn about the non-profit industry and have an overall positive experience. I looked forward to going to work everyday because I always knew that I had an office full of incredible people cheering me on the whole way. I learned that it’s good to ask questions and that it’s okay to make mistakes, so long as I learn from them. I was so fortunate to intern in such a positive and encouraging work environment!

3. What has surprised you about being an intern? 

I was surprised and excited to have been entrusted with such important and detail-oriented tasks. The work I did over the course of my 10 weeks with WSF was not only published on their website, but also discussed in large meetings and shared with all of the employees in the office. I had to present my research and advocate for the athletes who I felt were most deserving of the award. To that end, I never felt like I was there to simply assist with minute, meaningless tasks — rather, I felt like an employee whose contributions were genuinely valued.

4. How has this internship influenced your future career plans?  

This internship has definitely influenced my future career plans. I really loved doing research for the Sportswoman of the Year award and writing bios that were eventually published on their website. As an English major, I’ve always enjoyed writing and been an incredibly detail-oriented person, so going through the entire research and selection process, as well as writing about the accomplishments of the athletes that were selected, was a really enjoyable and rewarding experience. The whole internship was very multi-faceted and I feel like my experiences can translate to any field of work. If I do not pursue a career in a non-profit, I think I would really love to pursue a career in publishing.

5. Any internship advise to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

If I could pass on any advice, I would tell future Holy Cross students to always ask questions. Your supervisors are there to help you learn and teach you about their industry and it’s always best to triple check your work and confirm your thoughts before they get shared with the entire office or published for the world to see. I would also say that it’s good to be open to new and different experiences! You may be surprised at what career you eventually decide to pursue and you may love something you never even previously considered.
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Meet Alum Nick Bodurian ’12, Associate Investment Professional at Prospect Capital Management

Name: Nick Bodurian

Class Year: 2012

Title: Associate Investment Professional

Organization Name: Prospect Capital Management

1.  In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I am responsible for sourcing and conducting due diligence on private middle market companies seeking financing from both an equity and debt perspective.

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

The summer after my sophomore year at Holy Cross I did my first internship at GE Capital as part of the Financial Management Program (“FMP”).  This internship opportunity came through the Career Development Summer Internship Program.  I did a second internship at GE Capital the following summer, and then accepted a full time position at GE Capital in FMP post-graduation.  What made me decide to pursue a career in corporate finance initially was my strong underlying interest in evaluating businesses, coupled with my accounting background from Holy Cross.  Second, I really enjoyed the corporate culture at GE, and knew that the company had a strong track record for educating their employees and building future business leaders.  Both aspects of my first job/employer came out to be 100% true.  I significantly expanded my core technical finance skills and analytical thinking, but also my soft-business skills such as effective and efficient communication and negotiating.  All of what I have described were “planned events” through my initial time at GE Capital.  However, life always brings unplanned events as well.  In my last rotation on FMP, I was given a role in underwriting in a business unit that provides leveraged loans to middle market companies being bought by private equity sponsors.  I very much enjoyed this role, and realized that this was the career path that I wanted to pursue (versus traditional corporate finance).  However, General Electric, and in particular GE Capital, was going through large changes at the time. There was a meaningful corporate strategy shift to move away from “banking” and focus the conglomerate on industrial businesses.  Part of this decision by GE was due to stricter regulatory requirements on large financial institutions after the financial crisis of 2008/2009.  While the traditional banking sector overall faced new regulations at the time, there started to be large growth in the alternative asset management sector, such as private equity and debt firms.  I saw this trend occurring (similar to other colleagues and friends) and decided to seek my next role at a private markets firm.  This led me to my second employer, Partners Group, a global private markets asset manager.  The key takeaway from this “career event” for me is to make sure you get the most out of “planned events” in your career, by doing the best you can do at the job you are currently doing, because “unplanned events” will occur which will bring difficult decisions, but also promising career opportunities!  How one performs in “planned events” I’ve noticed in my career dictates how one can effectively adapt to “unplanned events” in a career.

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

I was very involved in the Economics department when I was on campus, since I was an Economics-Accounting major.  I was part of the Student Advisory Committee for several years, and then was the Chairman of the committee for two of those years.  I was also a member of the Economics department Honors Program, in which I spent over a year conducting research and writing a senior thesis on the financial crisis of 2008/2009.  I was a member of the pre-business program, and took a class that managed the student managed endowment fund.  I volunteered through the SPUD, and was a member of the club baseball team for four years.  In my last two years, I was also a tour guide for the admissions office.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions? 

I majored in Economics-Accounting.  While I did not pursue a traditional career in public accounting, accounting is the basis for everything in finance.  Any student interested in pursuing a career in finance must have a strong understanding of accounting.  But that does not and should not preclude non-accounting majors from pursuing a career in finance. While the technical background has surely helped me in my career, the analytical thinking and quantitative analysis aspects of accounting is what has helped me the most in my career.  In my field, it is crucial to evaluate businesses from both a quantitative and qualitative aspect, using fact-based assertions to drive investment theses.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

Aside from my technical background, one of the most important skills that I developed meaningfully at Holy Cross is my written and oral communication skills.  A lot of my job is being able to effectively communicate both internally and externally.  From an internal perspective, I have an investment committee that I present my investment opportunities to in order to obtain approval to make an investment.  In order to obtain approval, I must effectively communicate the merits and risks of an investment opportunity, through both quantitative and qualitative assertions, written in memos and orally in person.  There is always “pushback” from investment committee members—that is their job, to play “devil’s advocate” and ask as many questions as possible.  Therefore, it is a continual iterative process when evaluating investment opportunities, and being able to effectively communicate internally is paramount to success.  I must also work with external parties, such as management teams and other private equity firms, in order to negotiate the best possible deal terms for my firm.  It’s a craft that I am still developing and will be developing over the rest of my career, but Holy Cross established a strong foundation to start building from.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

If you are interested in pursuing a career in finance, your GPA will be the first criteria that a company will look at from both an internship and entry-level job perspective.  In other words, make sure you are getting it done in the classroom first!  Second, I would recommend taking quantitative classes, such as accounting, economics, math, or pre-business/investment classes. Holy Cross students largely have strong communication skills, due to the rigorous liberal arts curriculum in place, but it is important to develop quantitative reasoning skills in order to be “on par” with competing students from business programs at other colleges and universities.  Third, develop a strong interest in reading the Wall Street Journal or New York Times business section.  I’ve probably learned the most about financial markets, the economy, and businesses from reading the WSJ.  Pick topics that interest you, and read as much about them as possible.  Read the articles critically, and if a concept does not make sense to you, don’t just move onto the next article, figure out the concept because that is how real learning takes place.  Lastly, it is absolutely crucial to understand what it means to have a career in finance, and there are many different types of careers in finance.  Talk with as many people as possible, ask them what they like and dislike about their jobs.  People love talking about themselves, so “pick as many brains” as possible.
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Meet Alumna Stephanie Schaefer Ford ’11, Senior Marketing Copywriter with Rue Gilt Groupe

Stephanie Schaefer Ford

Class Year: 2011

Title: Senior Marketing Copywriter

Organization Name: Rue Gilt Groupe

1.  In one sentence, what does your job entail?

As a Senior Copywriter, I am responsible for crafting the stories that support Rue La La’s marketing initiatives, whether it be as straightforward as writing clever subject lines and push notifications for our daily sales, or as in-depth as conceptualizing an entire holiday campaign.

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

After graduation, I accepted a summer fellowship through the International Radio & Television Society in New York City. My spot was sponsored by The Hallmark Channel/Crown Media Networks and its CEO (Bill Abbot, Class of ‘84). It was an amazing experience and exposed me to the ins and outs of the industry.

Through the program, I interned in the marketing and publicity department of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, assisting with the promotion of films like The Help & Cars 2. During the course of the summer, I also attended seminars hosted by IRTS and media executives in various positions, ranging from ad sales to production. These meetings confirmed that I wanted my next role to involve creativity and writing, which eventually led me to pursue a position as an Editorial Assistant at an online magazine.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was the Vice President of the English Honor Society and Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Purple Literary Magazine during my senior year. I also was involved with the Campus Activities Board (CAB), volunteered at Friendly House in Worcester through SPUD, and contributed articles to The Crusader Newspaper.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I majored in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing. I remember right before graduation, one of my favorite professors, Leah Cohen, asked us to respond to an article that said, “graduating with an English Degree is like going out into a storm without a coat.” I believe my response was something along the lines of “I’d rather go out coatless than wear one that isn’t my style.” Through my Holy Cross courses, I realized I wanted a career that would fulfill me creatively, but I wasn’t quite sure what that would be. English majors may not have a direct path, but that’s half the fun!

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

I’m fortunate that I get to hone the skills I developed in college every day. Holy Cross taught me to think outside of the box and express my voice, whether that be in an extensive 20-page thesis paper or a three-line poem for a Creative Writing class. These abilities are certainly valuable when you’re a Copywriter writing for a variety of different mediums.

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Learn from every experience, big and small. Also, I think it’s important to be adaptable, but always stay true to your passions. Luckily, in today’s digital world that’s easier than ever. For instance, in my spare time, I contribute to Writer’s Bone, a podcast and website my husband co-founded, dedicated to writing. I’m fortunate to have a creatively fulfilling day job, but interviewing authors and screenwriters for the podcast allows me to hone a different set of skills. In addition to signing up for courses and extracurriculars that you’re passionate about, I’d encourage students to pick up a side hustle, start a blog, or do whatever it is that fuels your creative spirit.