The Walton MBA internships are incredibly beneficial to students because they allow for the development of valuable work experience based on the student’s interest. Lindsey Steiger-Muck, assistant MBA director at the Walton MBA programs said, “Students have the opportunity to explore a potential career path and give themselves a competitive edge in the job market based on the skills they’ve learned.” Molly Bombonato, Robert Cummings, Sean Grady, Meritt Rae and Sydney Wendfeldt spoke about their internship experiences.
Molly Bombonato
MBA Rotational Intern at Henkel
Molly was drawn to Henkel by their sustainability values and the kindness of their leaders. She secured her internship through the Walton Career Center. She said the biggest takeaway from her internship was to “find comfort in ambiguity.” Business problems are often complex with no specific answer, but Molly said she found comfort in leaning on her co-workers and mentors.
Molly said her mentors and the leadership opportunities she’s been given have prepared her for full-time employment by growing her skills and confidence. Recently, she was chosen to represent Henkel on a panel with The Sustainability Consortium.
Molly holds a BFA Acting degree with an emphasis in Musical Theatre from Wright State University. Currently, she is on the Walton MBA Entrepreneurship track and is also pursuing an M.P.S. through the Clinton School of Public Service.
Robert Cummings
Walmart Sales and Category Management Intern at Henkel
Robert was connected with Henkel executives who are Walton MBA alumni at MBA networking events and won an interview at Henkel. Robert said he learns new things every day, but the company’s reaction to COVID-19 stood out to him. He said there was an “astounding amount of teamwork and adaptability to overcome challenges.”
Before his internship, Robert was nervous about transitioning to business management in the retail capital of the world, but the combination of an exceptional academic education in the Walton MBA Program and a practical education at Henkel has helped him feel prepared for a career in business.
Sean Grady
Sales/Demand Planning Intern at Haribo of America
Sean was able to secure his internship though Walton MBA networking events. During his time at Haribo of America, some of his biggest takeaways were to ask questions when unsure on how to approach a project, to always make time to have conversations with coworkers as there is always something you can learn and in the world of virtual meetings, it is crucial to allocate time for breaks.
He said that his internship at Haribo of America has prepared him for full-time employment when he graduates by demonstrating the skills he will need to master in order to succeed in the workforce.
Sean holds an undergraduate degree in psychology degree from the University of Arkansas. Currently, he is on the Walton MBA Supply Chain Management track.
Meritt Rae
Shopper Insights Intern at Henkel
Meritt began her internship at Henkel before starting the Walton MBA program and has been an intern at Henkel for almost a year and a half. Meritt’s internship has given her a much better understanding of the business world.
During her time at Henkel, Meritt interned on the Sales and Category Management teams before joining Shopper Insights. As a Shopper Insights intern, she learned so much about working with and presenting data. Meritt said this has been an interesting team to be a part of during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they’ve been “faced with the challenge of understanding the evolving consumer needs during one of the most significant events of this century.”
Meritt holds an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Arkansas. Currently, she is on the Walton MBA Marketing track.
Sydney Wendfeldt
Beauty Sales Intern at Henkel
Sydney said she had multiple interactions with the Henkel team before interviewing with them thanks to Walton MBA events like speed networking and case competitions. She was impressed with how genuine and professional they were as well as their commitment to sustainability.
One of the most important lessons Sydney learned was that it is important to put yourself out there when you are interested in a project and take charge. She said it is “uncomfortable to try something new at first, but that’s when you’re growing into a valuable team player.” Sydney said she feels prepared for full-time employment after graduation as a result of her internship because it has taught her to be flexible, as being an adaptable person will be integral to her career success.
Sydney holds an undergraduate degree in business management from Arkansas State University. Currently, she is on the Walton MBA Retail Strategy/Marketing track.
