With the summer quickly winding down comes one sure fact—many internships are winding down as well, and school is starting soon! To wrap up the summer, we wanted to sit down with a number of ESI’s interns to gather their thoughts on interning at ESI these past months, and inquire about their plans and goals for the upcoming school year. The following are some of the interns that we interviewed:
- Garret King – Penn State University, Community, Environment, and Development
- Ran Wang – University of Pennsylvania, Master of City Planning
- Kendra Hills – University of Pennsylvania, Master of City Planning with a concentration in smart cities
- Julia Hetzel – Temple University, Economics and a minor in Political Science
- Sal Gullotta – Drexel University, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Devesh Chainani – Drexel University, Economics
- Zoe Schneider – Drexel University, Mathematics and minors in Actuarial Science and Finance
What is your favorite part about going to school?
Garret King — “What I enjoyed most about school was being introduced to new topics and hearing what others thought about them. Getting to learn how different people and places worked to solve the same issues in different ways.”
Kendra Hills — “My favorite aspect about school is being surrounded with diverse thoughts and experiences. Learning from my peers and exchanging and collaborating on projects is one of the best parts about being in a graduate program!”
Julia Hetzel — “I have enjoyed experiencing the unique perspectives that going to a large, diverse university exposes you to. Many of the most impactful aspects of my education have come from outside the classroom, and the knowledge that I have learned from my peers over the last few years has been invaluable.”
Devesh Chainani — “Meeting new people, exploring new ideas and having amazing adventures and experiences with friends.”
What does your education mean to you?
Ran Wang — “My education opens a whole new world to me in terms of both knowledge and people I’ve met along the way. As an international student, the experience of studying in another country changed me forever. Although I wouldn’t say my education changes who I am, it definitely helps to define who I am.”
Sal Gullotta — “I see my education as a way for me to hone my skills and knowledge in areas I am interested in, and then to be able to showcase and utilize them in real-life situations to help others, society, and myself grow. To me, being educated involves school but by no means stops there, and extends into learning and challenging myself every day in all areas of my life.”
Zoe Schneider — “Education gives me the chance to open a world of opportunities. As a Math Major, I have had unique opportunities to see how my schoolwork can channel into so many avenues. Just as my program is not limited to one field, so is my learning. I hope to take every day at Drexel to learning something new.”
Kendra Hills — “Being able to attend a master’s program is such a privilege for me, and I feel very grateful to be able to learn from such talented, hardworking people in a beautiful city filled with rich history, and vibrant communities. My education is a platform for me to use the knowledge I’ve gained to make equitable change, and move toward more just cities, and communities, but I’ve learned that learning and educating yourself never stops! Especially in a city like Philly, which teaches me something new every day.”
Do you have any particular plans or goals in entering the upcoming school year?
Zoe Schneider — “I am very excited for my curriculum this school year. My courses reflect what areas of data and statistics I really enjoyed at ESI and as I continue through my program, I have more flexibility to explore new fields through learning like Data Science and Management Information Systems.”
Julia Hetzel — “I’d like to further my understanding of economics principles while additionally gaining experience in the field. As I am entering into the last year of my undergraduate studies, I would like to solidify the foundation upon which my understanding of the subject was built, and make the most of the last of my undergraduate experience.”
Ran Wang — “My plan is to apply for PhD and try to find jobs at the same time. Hope I’ll survive this fall semester…”
Garret King — “Since I just graduated, after I finish up my time here, I will be looking for a full-time position to start off my career.”
What is a key takeaway you gained from interning at ESI this summer?
Devesh Chainani — “Apart from the numerous analytical skills I gained which would be helpful for me in my career ahead, I learnt how to keep standing up in the face of trouble. Learning how to balance life and work has been a task lately. With a class, an internship and a baby business to attend to, I was challenged to the greatest extent these past 6 months. The ESI family always helped me, understood me and nurtured me throughout my journey, and I will always be grateful for my time at ESI.”
Sal Gullotta — “A key takeaway I’ve gained from my time at ESI is learning how to be a more concise and efficient communicator. Having contact with many people throughout the day and staying on top of information has been a skill I am truly grateful to have gotten the ability to develop.”
Kendra Hills — “It has been a pleasure being able to watch how hard everyone works at ESI. I admire everyone’s agility, work ethic, and time management skills. I think I picked up at least 1 out of three of those skills during my time here!”
Julia Hetzel — “Working at ESI has allowed me to gain technical experience and expand my understanding of the practical application of economics principles. I am grateful to have worked alongside many knowledgeable and hardworking individuals who have taught me a great deal about the world of consulting.”
Salvatore Gullotta | gullotta@econsultsolutions.com
Salvatore Gullotta is an intern at Econsult Solutions working in the Business Development and Marketing Department. He is currently a junior at Drexel University, and assists at ESI with proposals, research, content management (managing ESI Present Value [weekly blog] and social media).
