At the University of Hartford, students learn the importance of career readiness from the beginning of their programs. Within the Barney School of Business, this is evident in many ways, especially when considering that 100% of business undergraduates complete an internship.
All Barney School undergrad degree programs require at least on internship. Many students take the opportunity to complete additional internships. Each internship allows a student to individually focus their academic and career-based skills in a real-world environment with a partner organization, which may become that student’s future employer. Click here to learn more about the Barney School.
Zewen Xu from China is currently a senior management major at the Barney School of Business. In the summer of 2020, Zewen participated in an internship with Shaanxi Changyin Consumer Finance Co. There, he worked with the human resources and business development departments, and her managed he competitive product analysis report, product requirements document, and the App homepage revision report. Also, he helped employees conduct market research.
Zewen said, “The purpose of an internship is to find a career direction you like. It is a good experience to try several internships when you are a student. The internship gave me the first valuable work experience in my life, and [I] believe that an internship is an experience that every college student should have.”
Because of Zewen’s work performance, Shaanxi Changyin Consumer Finance Co. offered him a job. He has accepted the opportunity and will begin work after he graduates in Spring 2021.
The Barney School has developed a network of industry relationships with diverse organizations, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups that will provide learning and career strengthening experiences and ultimately a potential place of employment once they complete their program. Through these partnerships, students have interned at companies like:
- Aetna
- Bank of America
- Deloitte
- MassMutual Financial Group
- The Hartford
- Travelers
A senior finance major Anthony Gomez found an internship at KPMG in New York City, a short distance from the University of Hartford,that led him to a full-time position in Financial Management and Consulting at this Big 4 accounting firm. He earned the internship by connecting with a recruiter at a Barney School Career Ready event. Anthony credits the University of Hartford’s academic programs, extracurricular activities, and resources for his success. He said, “UHart helped me by initiating their Career Ready events each week. Beyond this, I learned useful skills such as how to build a resume, how to develop a strong LinkedIn account, as well as many other soft and hard skills.”
The Barney School of Business focuses on career activation skills to help them transition to the workforce. With a curriculum that emphasizes projects, research, internships, mentorships, and extracurricular activities, the school gives students the tools they need to be successful at the Barney School and in their careers.
