Students Compete for Internships

Brenan Klain, a senior majoring in strategy
from Cardston, Canada, explains why
he should be The Intern.PROVO, Utah – Feb 18, 2009 – After competing in a rigorous contest, six Marriott School of Management undergraduate students heard those magic words: "You're hired."

Each year, Marriott School students compete to earn internships through The Intern, a competition sponsored by the Management Undergraduate Student Association. Loosely patterned after the TV show "The Apprentice," the competition gives undergraduate students the chance to make an impression on potential employers through a series of tasks, culminating with a 45-second presentation.

"The presentation was intense," says Broc Buttars, a senior majoring in finance from Centerville, Utah, who earned a finance internship with Air Liquide. "I knew I had to stand out in some way if I was going to win an internship."

To enter The Intern, students begin by submitting an application, résumé and cover letter. Other elements of the process help students become familiar with techniques used in job searches: First, students complete a short research report about the organization. Candidates then choose two networking activities requiring them to seek information and advice from potential employers, alumni, internship advisers or professors.

As the competition progressed, students understood the importance of these activities. One winner, Steven Lockhart, a junior majoring in marketing from Lake Elsinore, Calif., researched Milleniata, a data archiving company. His research helped him succeed throughout the rest of the competition.

"After researching their product, Millennial Disc, I knew I had to be part of Millenniata," Lockhart says. "I contacted the director immediately, and the conversation I had helped me greatly as I went through the interviewing process."

Students also learned the importance of becoming familiar with the type of qualifications an organization looks for in a job candidate and to tailor their resume to the job they're applying to.

"A lesson I picked up is that securing an internship or a job is about my suitability to the company," says winner Joseph Delli Gatti, a senior majoring in corporate finance from San Clemente, Calif., who earned an internship with More Good Foundation. "Although I have other skills that might seem impressive, I emphasized my community service experiences and my video editing skills because I knew those were important to the employer."

Additional internship winners include Jennifer Sweeny, a senior majoring in corporate finance from Bloomington, Indiana, selected to intern with Excend Consulting; Jordan Weber, a senior majoring in accounting from Katy, Texas, selected to intern with Air Liquide; and Brenan Klain, a senior majoring in strategy from Cardston, Canada, selected to intern with Millenniata.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems and entrepreneurship. The school's mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.