Internship experiences of a lifetime
From the Mecklenburg District Attorney’s Office, to the NASA DEVELOP program, to the University of Antioquia, Charlotte students applied what they learned in the classroom to solve real-world challenges, locally, nationally and globally through summer internships.
NASA DEVELOP national program
Adrian Croland, a second-year master’s student in geography, participated in the NASA DEVELOP National Program, which conducts feasibility studies that bridge the gap between earth science, information and society. Working closely with DEVELOP science advisors and mentors to apply observations of Earth to address real-world problems, participants conduct 10-week research projects in interdisciplinary teams of four to five people.
“We received valuable experience of what it’s like to work on a real, applied research project, from corresponding with community partners to developing a methodology, to juggling all the tight deadlines. Experiencing how all these moving parts come together in real time, while still benefiting from the guidance of industry experts, has been invaluable to me as I pursue a career in applied research.”
mecklenburg county district attorney’s office
Ethan Harris, a junior political science, criminal justice and philosophy major, served as a legal intern for the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office general felonies team.
“This internship has shaped how I will approach complex issues in my future career, and it has allowed me to discover the type of prosecutor I aspire to be. The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office focuses on victims, justice and making the right decision, whether or not that involves a guilty plea, which has definitely helped me decide what type of prosecutor I want to become.”
lenovo
Sydney Howard, a junior marketing major in the Business Honors program, was a university and employer brand marketing intern at Lenovo, a company specializing in designing, manufacturing and marketing electronics, personal computers and related services.
“From day one, I was encouraged to take ownership of my role and bring new ideas to life. One of my proudest accomplishments was launching a video series called Lenovo Intern News, where I interviewed employees across different teams and levels of the company to spotlight stories that don’t always get told.”
University of Antioquia
Yuliana Ganan, second-year graduate student in public health, interned as a Cancer Epidemiology Education in Special Populations Fellow at the University of Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia.
“Being surrounded by the community you are researching adds an extra layer of responsibility to the work. These aren’t just numbers, they’re real people with families, dreams and lives. Especially dealing with cancer deaths in the community, every equation and analysis holds a heavy weight. It’s crucial to not get lost in the research and remember the reason behind the work we do — to create a healthier future. Being able to conduct research abroad was a great accomplishment, but being placed in the country where my roots run deep made my work much more important to me.”
Honeywell
Anisha Nannapaneni, a junior majoring in data science, business analytics and management information systems, participated in Charlotte-based Honeywell’s Future IT Leaders internship program, where she worked with large datasets to uncover trends and build insights that supported ongoing projects and tools like the ServiceNow platform.
“There’s so much data in the world, but it’s really about how you put it into context that gives it meaning. Something I really saw in my internship this year is how data can be utilized in many different ways. Seeing how the work I was doing impacted decisions really motivated me. It helped me realize that data science isn’t just technical — it can drive real change in how companies operate.”
FMC corporation
Colin Raddant, a junior chemistry major, interned at FMC Corporation, an agricultural sciences company that develops and provides crop protection and plant health solutions to farmers globally. He worked in the company’s research and development division in Newark, Delaware.
“This internship has given me a lot of insight into research within an industry setting and has helped me understand and develop my long-term educational goals. The biggest highlight of my internship was the experience of being part of a large team, working on many different projects and getting to discuss interesting science with many people from different backgrounds.”
Johns Hopkins University
Ashleigh Sico, a graduate student in cybersecurity, interned in the applied physics lab at Johns Hopkins University.
“I have learned a lot about software development workflows and how to interact with a team when working on various tasks in software development, in order to create a functional and clean application. I’ve also learned how to effectively manage my time, as I am working on two cybersecurity projects and involved in intern and sector events. I’ve learned how to set goals to accomplish my work and make progress towards these goals.”
KPMG
Bryce Walker, a junior finance major, was an Embark intern for KPMG at the Tysons Corner office in Virginia. The Embark Scholars program is a multi-year paid internship program focused on developing high-performing college students through a comprehensive and innovative learning experience, enhancing their professional skills, industry expertise and preparing them to be KPMG’s next generation of leaders.
“The Embark Scholars program helped me to build the soft skills that you don’t always get through the classroom but are used in the professional world. I developed skills on how to write professional emails, how to dress appropriately in different work settings and even how to make small talk that turns into real, meaningful connections. I also got a better sense of how to work on a team in a professional environment, like how to speak up in meetings, how to be a reliable teammate and how to navigate different communication styles. These are all skills that I know will be helpful in any career I pursue.”