Student Internship Experiences
Today, we will be highlighting two hard-working seniors and one outstanding junior on their internship journeys within the past year. First off, we have Public Accounting Major, Communication Studies Minor, Katelyn Weide, who is originally from Sartell, MN and graduated this January 31, 2021.
Katelyn Weide
This year, Katelyn has gotten the opportunity to intern as an Audit Intern at the company Boulay PLLP in Eden Prairie, MN. Katelyn states, “I found this opportunity through the accounting career fair that Jess Franta put together in the Fall of my sophomore year. I networked with the campus recruiter Katie Breckner (who is a Gustie alum) and we hit it off in conversation. I applied/did a summer experience program in June 2019 with the firm and then interviewed for an internship position a couple weeks later in July 2019.” She has absolutely loved her experience with this reputable company and is so thankful for the firm’s “flexibility and attentiveness” to the interns. She continues to explain, “Everyone is so incredibly welcoming and understanding so even though I am “alone” at my desk, I don’t ever feel alone. It is a lot of quick learning and busy hours, but I could not be happier with my decision to be a part of this firm for my internship experience. The thing I have enjoyed the most so far, is the people I get to work with and meet with.” Katelyn is now working a full-time job as the Audit Associate at Boulay BLLP in Eden Prairie.
Weston Lombard
Next up we have Senior Public Accounting Major, Weston Lombard who found his internship as the Private Equity Intern at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) through the GAC Accounting Club. Following graduation Weston recently accepted a full-time position as a Private Equity Associate at CLA. Weston says, “I learned what it’s like to work in a growing public accounting firm in their private equity group! The team I worked with was awesome and it was cool to work with VC and strategic buyers on their mergers and acquisition processes through our company’s financial due diligence that we provided!”
Weston recently has gotten the opportunity to work for a baseball company as well and learned quite a lot at this experience too. “I learned what it takes to grow a baseball performance center from a baseball and business aspect. Most importantly, I learned how to take complex concepts and be able to explain them in a way that athletes can understand, execute, and repeat in drill work and lifting to improve their game on their own.” Weston is also the President and Co-Founder of School Shark LLC and the President and Founding Member of Vaga, the Student Society of Entrepreneurship.
Lauren Smith
Last but not least, Junior Management and Psychology Double Major, Lauren Smith, worked as the Marketing Intern this J-Term at The Cardinal Marketer based in St. Peter. Lauren found this opportunity by looking at local businesses in Saint Peter on the Saint Peter Chamber of Commerce site and reached out to the company even though there was no position advertised. Lauren communicates, “I was able to have the opportunity to learn how to use multiple marketing tools and software first hand. Lindsay (my employer) was very accommodating to me, by allowing me to focus on the areas within marketing that I was interested in learning more about. I was extremely happy with the amount of knowledge I gained in such a short amount of time and I would happily go back and intern at The Cardinal Marketer again!”
