Landing an internship in STEM often feels unachievable for students early in their careers. At Reynolds, your first hands-on experience isn’t as out of reach as you may think. We recently sat down with an intern who is spending his second summer in the Software Development department (DEV).
Name: Nathan F.
Title: Application Development Intern
College: Wright State University - Sophomore
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Tell us about your experience here at Reynolds so far.
It’s a combination of the people and the work. DEV is a surprisingly collaborative environment, and I’ve really enjoyed that thus far. I have friends working in the software development industry that sit in their cube and work by themselves all day. But DEV’s accounting group has some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. We are all very interactive, and I find that it makes the work more enjoyable.
The work itself is so specific to Reynolds, so it’s not easy, but the challenge makes it very rewarding.
What surprised you most about Reynolds?
There’s a stigma surrounding STEM internships that college freshmen don’t have enough knowledge to compete with upperclassmen for them, so most don’t even apply. I thought the same thing, so I was shocked when they accepted me. I only knew about the opportunity because Reynolds offered me a scholarship at Wright State University. After learning more, I figured I’d shoot my shot.
Reynolds taking a chance on me set me up for success. I got to interact with its system all summer. I pushed real changes that customers will see, so when I go into an application that I edited last year, my change is there because it was deployed to customers. That’s a lot for a 20-year-old. All in all, this is why I returned to Reynolds for a second internship.
How did your team support your learning?
The Reynolds-specific lingo and processes were a lot to take in during my first couple of weeks as an intern and took me some time to understand.
My team didn’t worry about it at all. They worked with me to make sure I didn’t get super far behind and took the time to teach me everything I needed to know. I’m grateful that I could always reach out to them for help.
How did your experience help you contribute more effectively this year?
Last summer, it took me a while to understand the software because I had never touched it before. I spent 13 weeks here, and by the very end, I realized I still had a lot more to learn.
The training I received in my first internship prepared me for more advanced projects and helped me learn more quickly in my second. I feel a lot more confident in the professional work environment now.
What advice would you give to students hoping to land their first internship early in college?
It’s attitude. With these early jobs, internships, and even moving into your professional career, it’s attitude that propels you forward. If I came into this internship unwilling to learn, I wouldn’t have progressed as much as I have. Come in wanting to excel and strive to be the best you can – a drive to learn will get you places. Focus on that.
Ready to start your career at Reynolds? Visit our page to learn more about internships and apply for roles here.
