MBA2 Internship Update

Hello everyone!

Many of our students are spending their summer completing their summer internships across the United States and locally. Find out more about their summer internship experiences here.

Matt Lesh – Sales Intern, Cooper Industries

Hey everyone!

I'm working as a sales intern for Cooper Industries – B-Line Division in Highland, Ill. My primary project for the summer is to produce a sales conversion manual for the Cooper sales team. The sales conversion manual will help sales managers accurately identify and execute customer product line conversions from our competitors to Cooper products. As part of my research, I am traveling with Regional Sales Managers throughout the Midwest and Gulf Coast in order to observe and document current sales conversions methods. I am residing in St. Louis for the summer as well. In my free time I have visited many St. Louis attractions including Anheuser-Busch, Busch Stadium, St. Louis Zoo, museums, restaurants, and bars. I look forward to seeing you all in the fall and hope you all have a great summer!

--Matt
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Michael Boryca – Intern, Ford Motor Company

I did a bit of research as far as living arrangements, and found a nice complex out in Euclid,Ohio, which is about a 30-minute drive to and fro, but the plus side is that it’s right on Lake Erie, so I am enjoying the whole “on the water” arrangement.

I’m involved in putting together a preventive maintenance process for the automation tooling used on the press lines, which stamp sheet steel for auto body parts – mostly the Econoline van at this plant. The ultimate goal is to decrease downtime in the long-run due to tooling breakage and set-up. It makes for pretty good work, with the best part being the autonomy I have to go about it as I see fit; while the facet I like least is quite simply the noise of the stamping plant – it wears on a person a bit.

Aside from wandering around a stamping plant during work hours, there’s plenty to do in the area. I’ve found the Warehouse District to be the most entertaining part of Cleveland with a pretty good assortment of restaurants, bars, and the like, so I tend to pass the time relaxing at various locales. One of the most interesting things I’ve done was the 409 and Gasser reunion at the local drag strip. There’s also a 50s-themed diner in Mentor – which isn’t too far from where I live – that makes for a good Saturday morning stop. There is a very good Blues scene in Cleveland, and wherever someone’s playing makes for a good place to grab a drink.

All in all, it’s a slick position, and the most beneficial thing I’ve found outside work is just to get to know the area. There is a lot to do and not enough time to do it all. See you all in the fall!

--Mike
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Anthony Stedillie – Capital Broker

Hello future and present MBA-ers!

This summer I am working as a Capital Broker and raising money for two private firms in Denver, Colo. I’m also working for an animation studio trying to produce a feature-length animation. My bosses are the CEOs of the companies and the producer/director of the film. Each project requires me to collaborate with and advise clients on their business plan, financial analysis, funding and investor strategies, and investor proposals/presentations. My experiences in Illinos Business Consulting (IBC) gave me a solid foundation in how to develop ideas and recommendations and how to present them. I work between home and a shared office space, where meetings and presentations are held. I'm living with my parents to save money and for the peaceful and quiet environment of the country. My favorite thing about this job is that I get to directly advise the CEOs of companies. My least favorite part of the job does not exist, because I like it all.

Because my job allows me so much freedom, some of the most exciting things I have done are traveling across the country and four-wheeling, camping, and cliff-diving in Moab, Utah. My all-time favorite restaurant is 21 Oceanfront and it just happens to be in Newport Beach, Calif., but my favorite Denver restaurant is Tables.

My favorite quote: "Sometimes life's greatest accomplishments happen when you're on the brink of failure." – Anonymous

That’s all for now – enjoy summer, school will be back before you know it!

--Anthony

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Alan Auyeung – Intern, 004 Technologies USA

Hi All! Lucky me – I got an internship in amazing Champaign. I decided to rent a room in a house with other MBA classmates, and we are having a blast!

My summer project covers a lot, including PR/Media, marketing research, and business development. 004 Technologies is a start-up; it's exciting because everything is new. Being in a small office, even though you are an intern, you play a big role in the team. However, the office is a little bit bare bones at the moment – but that will change as the business grows and matures. My favorite parts of the job are the flexibility and the relaxed atmosphere.

When I’m not at the office, the roomies and I like to grill out, and I’ve also taken up salsa dancing. My favorite restaurant in Champaign is the Golden Harbor on Neil St., and I enjoy a cold drink at the Blind Pig Brewery. I haven’t had any crazy experiences this summer – yet. But, since its only June, I am still planning on doing SOMETHING adventurous. I hope you are all having fun this summer and making lots of friends…look forward to meeting you in the fall.

--Alan
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Eric Reside – Project Management Intern, Volition, Inc.

Hey Team MBA! I am working this summer as an intern at Volition in Champaign. The office is above Jim Gould's and Kofusion. I decided to stay in the same off-campus apartment that I live in during the school year – Capstone Quarters.

I am currently working with the Project Management team for an unannounced video game. I handle a variety of tasks including workload balancing, PTO scheduling, and mid-level planning. My team is incredibly laid back and casual. Volition is a very young company with the average age of the employees in the mid-30s. So far my favorite part of the job has been the casual atmosphere and the fact that no one takes them self too seriously.

To be honest, I would have preferred to be in the Chicago area for the summer, but living in Champaign is much less expensive – and there is still a lot to do. When I’m not at work, I mainly hang out with friends that are also down here for the summer. We like to grab drinks at Firehaus and Guido’s, and I have been spending a lot of free time at Farren's (burger joint) and Aroma Café, both located in the vibrant downtown Champaign area.

I spent 10 days in Italy this past May and plan to go skydiving before summer is over. Enjoy your vacation!

--Eric

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Pablo Bonnin – Intern, Studley

Hello everybody! This summer I am in Washington, D.C., working for Studley, a leading national real estate brokerage company. With my background in architecture I decided to try my luck in development and commercial real estate. The internship came last minute, so I scrambled to find housing weeks before my starting date. I currently reside in a George Washington University dorm in Foggy Bottom and have a short commute to work every day.

Everybody in the city seems to be involved in politics and know exactly what is happening around the world day-by-day; just ask any cab driver. I come in to work around 8:30 and collaborate with a team of eight primarily doing research for current and future university housing developments. From there, a teammate and I create proposals and business plans for significant investment deals. After work, which comes around 6:30 in the evening, I’ll enjoy my time at a nearby happy hour or salsa dancing or relaxing to a nice cigar. Weekends in the summer are a fun time to spend at a pool or biking just outside the city.

Now to get back to work . . ..

--Pablo
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John Foley – Strategic Resources Intern, State Farm Insurance

Hi All! I am spending the summer in Champaign working as a Strategic Resources Intern for State Farm Insurance. I am living in the same apartment that I stayed at in school so finding a place to live was not a problem for me!

I am working on two projects this summer. The first is gathering information about each state and producing a report on its current status in a variety of factors: economy, customer base, State Farm Agents, and competitors, etc. Many people within the company use these reports to quickly get up to a speed on the conditions of an area, especially if they are moving or traveling. The second project is part of State Farm’s innovationREADY™ program, and I am leading a team of interns in researching opportunities for State Farm to better use technology to recruit State Farm agents. We are researching the technologies that are available, finding data that indicates how successful implementation of these technologies has been in the past, and determining what could be a good fit for agency recruiting at State Farm.

The atmosphere where I work is relaxed. There are about 60 interns working here in Champaign at State Farm Research and Development Center. I work on a team with four other interns, all undergraduate students, with very different educational backgrounds (i.e. computer science, actuarial science, marketing, MBA). The management at the RDC is doing a very good job in promoting a fun learning and working environment. They have really made an effort getting to know the interns and spending some time with them. My project sponsors at corporate have also been very receptive to interns and done a good job of communicating with us and showing interest in the work we are doing.

The thing I like most about my job is the people that work at State Farm and the perks that they provide for their employees. The only thing that I do not really like about my job is that one of my projects is fairly repetitive and dull while the other is much more organic and creative. At least the projects are keeping me busy!
When I’m not in the office, I play and watch sports, golf, and enjoy my summer vacation. I’ve also had more time to visit home this summer, so spending time with my family has been a definite plus. Also, State Farm has a park for its employees, with a water park, miniature golf course, a lake, and a variety of sports fields and courts. I have spent some time there and really have fun.

Finally, for those new students who need a great restaurant and a nice bar to grab a drink, try Alexander’s Steakhouse and Firehaus – two of my favorites!

See you all in the fall!

--John
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Kristen Lisa – Product Marketing Intern, Advanced Micro Device, Inc. (AMD)

Hey Everyone!

This summer I am in Austin, Tex., working as an Intern on the Product Marketing Launch team at AMD. I have one fairly large project to work on – and it is certainly a challenge! I have been asked to look at the entire marketing organization, as it relates to the launch of a new product, and identify points of cross-functional collaboration and process breakages. Essentially, I will create a “bird’s eye view” of the marketing processes in place to identify pain points, duplications of effort, and areas in need of development. Then I will prioritize the problematic areas and make recommendations for process improvements to drive efficient communication across all marketing teams and consistent work flows throughout the launch process. I have really enjoyed the time I have been able to spend with key stakeholders in each marketing division. Having the chance to spend one-on-one time with senior managers has given me great experience not only in communication but also in building relationships. There isn’t really anything that I don’t like about my gig, however, there have been a few days when the work load seems light and I have extra time to kill – drives me nuts! I like to stay busy and have a lot to do, which makes me feel productive!

In my spare time I have been enjoying all the things that Austin has to offer – great food, live music, beautiful weather, and the lake! I saw Passion Pit at the famous Stubbs BBQ last weekend and have gotten the chance to see a lot of local bands play. The music scene here is amazing and I’m totally taking advantage! I have also taken a deep dive into the amazing cuisine here: everything from gourmet BBQ to sushi to Texas-style cheesesteaks! Everything is so delicious . . . it’s hard to choose just one favorite. But, if I was forced, Madam Mam’s Thai is my favorite restaurant with Hyde Park’s famous French fries as a close second. I have also spent a lot of time outdoors – wave running on Lake Travis, getting the perfect tan at the pool, and running whenever I can (after 8 p.m. when it’s only 85 degrees instead of 100!). Austin is amazing – it will be so hard to leave when my internship is over!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer vacation and looking forward to the fall semester! I can’t wait to meet all the new MBAs and reunite with all my friends!

Best wishes!

--Kristen