Beyond the Books at AU: Finance and Government & International Affairs Major Has Eyes Set on Business Development While Interning for Marsh McLennan Agency - Augie
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: I am currently involved in the Augustana Student Association (ASA) as the technical director for the 2022-23 academic year, and part of the African Student Union (ASU). I work for the Office of Student Affairs as a viking advisor, in the Writing Center, Office of Admission as a student ambassador, the eSports Club and the International Programs Office (IPO) as an ACE ambassador.
Q: What are your career goals/aspirations?
A: I don’t have a solid grasp on a specific career I’m working toward. One idea that appeals to me is working for an international company in the realm of strategy and/or business development. Long term, I would like to start an agribusiness company back home to better utilize my country’s resources while diversifying the sources of income. Whatever I do, I know that I want to do work that values people, is sustainable and has a higher mission than profits.
Q: Where or how did you hear about Augustana?
A: Augustana found me. I got an email from the university when I had pretty much applied to all the schools on my list. Augustana had a free application process so I felt it wouldn’t hurt if I applied to just one more school.
Q: What is/are the reason(s) you chose to come to Augustana?
A: After many decisions and hours of talking back and forth with counselors at different schools, I ultimately decided to go with Augustana because I felt that I would have the most support and attain the most growth here. My admission counselor, Wade Gemar, was also frighteningly convincing.
Q: What will your job duties include?
A: So far, my job duties have included shadowing current employees, understanding and analyzing pre-insurance forms and policies, providing support for senior leadership, as well as engaging with insurance carriers to understand possible opportunities for clients. My duties will also include identifying a problem or area of improvement within the company and developing an executable plan of action to address it.
Q: How did you get the internship? Did anyone help you? What did that journey look like?
A: I found out about the internship walking out of my management class in the Madsen Center. MMA had a table set up to talk about their company and I used the opportunity to ask questions about the work they did. They mentioned that they would be having a college night — an opportunity for college students to come into the office and learn more about the company and the internship program — which I later attended. The college night inspired me to apply, and after meeting with my CAP specialist to revise my resume and cover letter, I applied for the internship and was accepted shortly after.
Q: What do you like most about your internship?
A: I knew so little about insurance coming into the internship and I did not really see myself as someone who would work in insurance in the future, but my time at MMA has truly exposed me to the insurance world in a way that I had not previously seen. The internship has really been an opportunity for me to grow not only in my understanding of insurance, but as a professional. I have learned about the different lines of insurance offered for businesses and where the possible exposures of a pig farm may be, but I have also learned how to ask questions, market myself as a professional and work with a team to produce exceptional results. I really love that this internship was structured to develop exceptional young professionals, not just cogs in a machine.
Q: What do you hope to learn/gain from the internship?
A: So far, I have learned so much about insurance from an agency standpoint and how much consulting really comes into play in terms of an agency. I would love to continue to build relationships with my fellow interns and colleagues of MMA to build lasting relationships where I can learn from the wealth of knowledge that exists at the company. I would also love to learn more about the qualities of a successful business and how processes, decisions and people really drive the success of business.
Q: Why is experiential learning so important to you in your future endeavors?
A: My internship, so far, has taught me skills that I would not have been able to learn as easily or effectively seated in a classroom. My internship has allowed me to put skills into practice that I had only previously learned and thought about. There really is no substitute for experiential learning. The opportunities I have had so far have helped me narrow my focus on what I want to do in the future, and also learn practical skills and gain knowledge that I can use in the future.
Q: How important is building relationships/connections?
A: Building relationships is immensely important to learning more about yourself and different perspectives. As a business student, I have also learned just how important relationships are in terms of networking and being able to have a system of support and communication. Through my relationships, I have found out about opportunities that may have otherwise eluded me, and I have been able to learn about topics and issues that are normally outside my realm of interest.
Learn about the 2,000+ jobs and internships posted annually by the Augustana University Student Success Center at Augie Opportunities.
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