This internship experience has been incredible. For students planning to intern in the future… TALK TO PEOPLE. Ask to attend meetings, come up with ideas that will benefit your department or the company overall, be innovative! I have learned so much and have made so many wonderful connections.  Overall, my projects included LOTS of resume screening, coordination of the 40th Anniversary Drone Photo and Annual Company Picnic, creation of a “40 Years of Innovation” timeline, various benefit and payroll tasks, and facilitation of the “Engaging with REHAU on LinkedIn” workshop.  I helped hire the Marketing Coordinator, wrote and edited job postings, and learned a lot about employee recruitment, organizational development, and employee engagement.

As for the marketing side of my internship, my research mainly focused on hydroponic agriculture.  REHAU manufactures channels for Nutrient Film Technology (NFT).  I researched nutrient content of hydroponic leafy greens, compared hydroponic and soil-based agriculture, conducted business case comparisons of our competitors, and researched potential tradeshows for our products.  Additionally, I visited CEA Farms in Purcellville, VA (about 5 minutes away from my house!).  This farm is family-owned and sells hydroponically-grown tomatoes, lettuce, and other vegetables to places such as The National Convention Center!  It was amazing to see everything I had been researching in action.

As my internship comes to a close, I think about my future career and how this experience has shaped my mindset.  I have always been passionate about leadership, and after working closely with Heather Mason and learning about organizational development (OD) and industrial/organizational psychology (I/O), I think this is a career path I would like to pursue! I want to facilitate workshops, give trainings, and develop leadership and management programs.  This combines my passion for leadership, public speaking, and utilizes my extroverted and outgoing nature.  Whether my path leads me to higher education, a corporate environment, or working for a non-profit, I hope to unite my passions and my career.