A Summer of Growth: Reflections on My InBaltimore Internship

This summer, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to work as an Operations and Human Resources intern at the World Trade Center Institute (WTCI). As an undergraduate student interested in a future career in Human Resources (HR), I was overjoyed to be matched with this internship – both the organization and the role were perfect matches with my interests and aspirations. WTCI is a nonprofit global business network that educates and empowers business leaders around the world through fellowships, conferences, global exchanges, and more. I couldn’t wait to join the team and learn more about global business leadership, but my internship experience turned out to be even more fulfilling and exciting than I imagined. To give you a peek into what my summer was like, here are four things I loved about my InBaltimore internship!

#1: Hands-On Opportunities

One of my favorite parts of this internship was that I got to be fully immersed in the world of international business and play an active role in my team. Throughout my internship, I’ve assisted with numerous HR projects. For example, I updated the employee policy manual, created onboarding materials, and conducted research about HR trends and best practices. WTCI has been recruiting for a manager position this summer, so I’ve also been assisting with the recruitment process, which has been fascinating to see from a recruiter’s perspective. To gain talent acquisition experience, I screened resumes, shadowed three interviews, and discussed the candidates with the leads of HR and Operations. It’s been a delight to be on the other side of the interview and have the chance to ask follow-up questions of my own to candidates.

#2: Putting Knowledge into Practice

At JHU, I’m pursuing my interest in organizational behavior by co-authoring research projects with professors at the Carey Business School and taking classes, such as Industrial-Organizational Psychology, to further my knowledge. I’ve loved having the opportunity to apply the knowledge I’ve learned at JHU to real life in this internship. On one occasion, when my manager was telling me about how WTCI has changed structures over the past couple years, I brought up case studies I’d read about flat vs. hierarchical organizations. Using the knowledge I’d gained from those, I was able to provide ideas about why some structural changes might have affected employee satisfaction. It’s been thrilling to see the concepts I’ve studied in class and research come alive here in the office – and it’s certainly made me glad I paid attention to my readings!

#3: Mentorship

I can’t write this blog post without giving a huge shoutout to all the team members who supported me throughout this internship. In particular, I’ve been under the direct supervision of the Director of HR at WTCI, and I’m incredibly grateful for her mentorship this summer. I’ve learned so much from discussing HR with her, and she has always strove to tailor the internship experience to my interests and goals. She has also provided me with plenty of opportunities to grow, such as by having me shadow meetings, inviting me to networking events, and giving me meaningful assignments.

#4: The Team!

This was my first ever internship, and I couldn’t have been luckier to be at WTCI for it. The entire team has been so welcoming and friendly, and it’s been such a pleasure to get to know each team member. On my first day in the office, the very first person I met was the CEO himself, and he welcomed me with a handshake and a warm smile – from then on, I was sure that WTCI was the right place for me. 

One thing I recommend all new interns to do–at any company–is to arrange one-on-one coffee chats with as many coworkers as you can, both in different departments and at different levels. Not only is it a good way to network, you’ll also gain tons of life and career advice – and, of course, it’s always fun to meet new people! Through my one-on-one chats with my coworkers, I’ve begun building strong professional and personal connections. I’ve even had the chance to chat individually with some of the Senior Leadership Team: I had a fascinating discussion about leadership with the Vice President of Marketing, and I got to have lunch with my boss’s boss, the Vice President of Operations!

Besides my one-on-one chats, I’ve also had the best time just hanging out with my fellow interns and other coworkers. Between treks to Pitamore, enjoying lunches by the harbor, and bantering in the office, my teammates have made this internship experience both professionally fulfilling and tons of fun. All in all, I’ve truly enjoyed my summer internship at WTCI. I’ve met inspiring people, learned what it takes to be an HR professional, and gained valuable hands-on experience that is sure to prepare me for my next endeavor. If you’d like to learn more, visit WTCI’s website (https://wtci.org/) – I’m also happy to connect on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliajunye/

By Kayla Michael
Kayla Michael