PNW students connect coursework and careers with summer internships
During the summer, many Purdue University Northwest (PNW) students were able to gain hands-on real-world experience by participating in various internships.
“Internships help extend what students learn in class to the real world,” says Zachary Jones, assistant director of Career Development in the Career Center at PNW. “It’s critical for students to strive for practical applications. It’s not just about the years of experience but the quality of skill development a job seeker can communicate to an employer.”
Internships help students gain professional skills, create a professional network of contacts and enhance job prospects all while building self-confidence. In addition, an internship is a way for students to try out a potential career, clarify career goals and interests and help make an informed decision about future career paths.
It’s not just about the years of experience but the quality of skill development a job seeker can communicate to an employer.
“Nothing builds a better connection with an employer than participating in an internship,” says Jones. “Many employers build their recruitment structures around internship programs – a top pathway into a full-time career. Internships also allow for students to try out different opportunities with employers to see what type of work environment they prefer.”
PNW students looking for internship opportunities have access to several helpful resources. Handshake, a cutting-edge job posting platform, and PNW Career Expos, where students are able to meet directly with employers and recruiters, are two key tools to help in the search. In addition, the staff at PNW’s Career Center can offer guidance and provide curated resources, including resume tips, interview guides and career fair how-to materials.
To learn more about internship opportunities and how the Career Center at PNW can help in your career journey, visit pnw.edu/career-center.
PNW students shared their experiences in gaining important knowledge and skills through their summer internships.
Natalie Martinez
Fourth-year Human Resource Management major in the College of Business
Merrillville, Ind.
Natalie Martinez spent her summer at High Star Traffic in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As an intern in the human resources (HR) office, Martinez was involved in a variety of tasks, including processing time-off requests, updating employee records, assisting in the recruitment for shop workers and handling the onboarding process.
“It fit right into my career plans,” says Martinez. “It gave me a good understanding of what I really want to do. It opened my eyes to the recruiting process and will really help me in the future.”
According to Martinez, the hands-on experience made lessons learned in the classroom come to life and enhanced her understanding of HR in a real-world setting. Having studied the role of unions in class, Martinez was able to utilize that knowledge while gaining actual experience in a unionized workplace. In addition, the internship not only reinforced her knowledge of the different HR systems she learned in class, but also deepened her understanding of HR systems in general.
She will also be bringing knowledge from her internship back to her studies at PNW. “I learned a lot of new terminology that I can take and apply in the classroom,” says Martinez. “I also experienced first-hand how fast-paced the HR environment is – something you can’t experience in the classroom.”
The Merrillville native found her internship through the Handshake platform at PNW. Martinez found the platform to be user-friendly and offered a convenient search process with job filters and quick resume submission. “It was very easy and convenient,” says Martinez. “I would look through the job descriptions during breaks between classes. I was able to use the filters to search for exactly what I wanted in an internship.”
After earning her bachelor’s degree, Martinez plans to begin her career as an HR assistant, eventually becoming an HR generalist. “This internship gave me first-hand, real-world experience, knowledge and insight into the HR field I wouldn’t have had without it,” says Martinez. “I’m excited to take everything I learned and apply it to my future career.”
Payton Marshall
Third-year Marketing major in the College of Business
Portage, Ind.
Payton Marshall had an adventurous summer internship at Sandy Oak Ranch Wildlife Adventure (SOR) in Lake Village, Indiana. As a marketing intern, she managed the organization’s social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram and assisted with the website.
“My favorite part of the internship was creating social media posts,” says Marshall. “The posts didn’t just sit there collecting likes – they created engagement. It was exciting to log in and see hundreds of comments and interactions on my posts.”
The hands-on experience of crafting social media content and managing marketing strategies provided the Portage native valuable insight into how to effectively promote an experience rather than a product and how to adapt to the unique needs of a tourism-based business.
Part of Marshall’s internship responsibilities included conducting marketing research and implementing strategies to boost engagement. She created innovative campaigns, including a special promotion for Father’s Day, and explored new marketing avenues, like in-person promotions at local farmers markets. “I was able to use a lot of what I had learned in class,” says Marshall. “I had just completed a class on marketing research and was able to take a lot of those lessons and put them to use in a real-world setting.”
Marshall’s future plans revolve around her passion for animals and desire to create and run her own animal shelter. In addition, she would like to advise other nonprofit organizations and shelters on effective marketing strategies. The internship gave her valuable insight into the important role marketing plays in creating and running a successful business. “Going into this internship, I wanted to make sure marketing was what I wanted to do,” says Marshall. “I was considering changing my major but now I can say I’m definitely confident with marketing as my major.”
Mackenzie Maguire
2024 Graduate, Bachelor of Science in Finance in the College of Business
Evansville, Ind.
Mackenzie Maguire spent his summer internship at AON in Chicago. As part of the finance leadership development program on the corporate development team, he was able to gain insights into corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions while contributing to a major integration project.
“I had expected corporate America to be cold and stressful, but at AON it was the opposite,” says Maguire. “It was surprisingly social, warm and supportive. Even though most of my work was on the computer, I was encouraged to network and interact with people. The welcoming culture really stood out and made my experience enjoyable.”
Maguire’s responsibilities centered on assisting with the staff integration of a newly acquired company into the AON systems. He managed several email inboxes and SharePoint platforms, helped in troubleshooting information technology issues and provided database access to colleagues. “I definitely used a lot of what I learned in my classes during my internship,” says Maguire. “Business communication skills were key since I was constantly interacting with people. I also used knowledge from my business information systems class to create dashboards using Tableau.”
Maguire also gained a comprehensive look at the insurance industry through weekly educational lessons and lunch and learns. The sessions included various teams throughout the company. Maguire made several presentations, including a 45-minute presentation on artificial intelligence and innovation in the insurance industry. “I often used corporate finance terms and concepts like return on investment and earnings per share during my internship,” says Maguire. “I also used what I learned on swap options in my foreign markets class, which I never expected!”
Maguire is currently looking for a position in finance or a related field. He acknowledges that the job market is competitive, but his internship experience has already proven valuable by attracting interest from recruiters. “I feel like I grew a lot professionally this summer,” says Maguire. “I feel ready to start my career. This internship was a nice introduction into corporate America.”