For Walla Walla University business majors, completing an internship not only fulfills graduation requirements, but it also strengthens resumes, confirms career interests, and often leads to full-time employment. This summer, senior business administration majors Vinicius Silva and Heloisa Sarli, and senior film major and business administration minor Samantha Hodges developed their professional skills in real-world settings. Below, each of them share first-hand accounts of their interning experiences.
VINICIUS SILVA:
"As an intern at the General Conference Auditing Service, I am performing hands-on audit tasks under the guidance of an experienced audit team. We serve the financial oversight needs of various Seventh-day Adventist Church organizations worldwide, providing financial audits, reviews, inspections, trust operations reviews, and policy compliance testing.
“This internship has been an incredible experience, allowing me to travel to places like Washington, D.C., Boston, and the Bermuda Islands. It offers a comprehensive introduction to the auditing profession in a supportive and dynamic environment, and I am excited to be a part of it!”
HELOISA SARLI:
"I just finished a service rotation and am now starting my sales rotation at Toyota’s regional office in Portland, Oregon. This past week, I had the privilege to help plan and coordinate our sales excellence ceremony, a dinner to celebrate those who excel in vehicle sales at Toyota dealerships in our districts. The theme was the Olympics, and we even had a guest Olympian, Tony Vito, attend.”
SAMANTHA HODGES:
"I am a marketing intern at Baker Boyer National Bank’s main branch in Walla Walla, where I apply and develop my skills in design, photography, videography, and communication. I am preparing to interview female financial advisors for a video series and document employee career testimonials. This internship has been amazing, and I’m grateful to be part of an incredible team.”
For more about the WWU School of Business and the significant impact of the internship program, go to wallawalla.edu/business.
Posted Oct. 9, 2024
