Sara Melius
RR Donnelley-Operations Intern

RR Donnelley is located on four continents, in nearly 40 different countries making it one of the largest printing companies in the world, and the largest in North America. It produces everything from magazines, catalogs, and books, along with advertising material, financial reports and business forms. RR Donnelley works with more than 60,000 customers worldwide and is a global provider of integrated communications. They all work together to develop solutions that reduce costs and enhance return on invest.

I started my internship in January 2011 and have been enjoying every second of it. This is RR Donnelley’s first intern at this facility, so this is a new experience for both of us. I am already learning more than I ever anticipated and know that I have much more to learn. I work as the operations intern at the warehouse and assist in many projects. Right now, I am currently doing a time study to possibly help save the company some money and speed up productivity. I work a lot with Excel so taking Quantitative Business Analysis has really helped me out quite a bit. I am just in the early part of my supply chain classes, but am seeing such a huge connection between my course work and the projects assigned to me at RR Donnelley.

My supervisor has helped me become comfortable with the every day activities, but has also pushed me to do things I would have never thought I would. I am becoming more confident with myself and expressing my opinions as these two areas were my greatest challenges. I am creating connections with other employees which helps make the internship that much more enjoyable.

UWO Student interns in Germany!

Amanda Fenske

Assistant Researcher

BMS Marketing Research+ Strategy is a small market research company located in Munich, Germany. It was founded in 1991 by Stefan Binner and has expanded into the European, Asian, and American markets since its foundation.

I was incredibly lucky to have found this internship in Munich. I'd come to Osnabrück, Germany on a Study and Intern Program Scholarship which required me to find an internship the second semester. During my studies the Winter Semester, I had taken a course named "Marktforschung" which translates to "Market Research". Mr. Binner came to teach a Market Research Intensive Training Day for this course, and after the day, I asked him about internship possibilities in Germany. It worked out that I could work for him starting in February.

I am happy to be working for a smaller company because I can help see an entire project through. I will be able to understand and be involved in all the steps that a market research project endures. By the end of my internship, I hope to feel confident in choosing which methods, what sample size, and what type of interview delivery should be used for specific objectives and then be able to summarize the results and draw conclusions from the outcome of the studies.

Since I have been here, I've assisted project managers on a few of our projects for clients. Working for an international firm means having to cope with many languages, and although I speak English in the office, I have had to code open-ended responses in German, French, and Spanish for analysis. I've helped create English versions of questionnaires and am learning how to program them on the SSI web for Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI).

QBA was definitely a very helpful class for this internship since Excel is always in use. I am also becoming familiar with the SPSS analysis program. I enjoy the fact that I continually learn something new on the job and can develop and put to use the skills I've learned in class.

Oshkosh Corporation Internship!

Tasha Gosselin

Accounting Defense/Finance Internship

Oshkosh Corporation designs and builds specialty vehicles and equipment for Defense, Fire & Emergency and Commercial uses. Oshkosh Corporation started in Wisconsin and has grown globally to become a Fortune 500 company. With a diversified business model and growth strategies focused on innovation, operational excellence, superior quality and service, and strategic acquisition, this company will continue to be a leader in its’ market.

I am an Accounting/S.C.O.M. major planning to graduate in 2013. This fall, I heard about several internship opportunities at Oshkosh Corporation through the Accounting Club and decided to apply. I currently hold an Accounting Defense/Finance Internship at the Harrison Street Plant in Oshkosh.

So far my internship has been a very rewarding experience. I am in charge of several different Defense contracts for which I do sales accruals, audit schedules, vouchers for the government and other miscellaneous projects. The thing I love most about this job is that the work I am doing is very similar to what the full time staff accountants do. The only major difference is the quantity of work and the difficulty of the contract. In the few months that I have worked at Oshkosh Corporation I have begin given many opportunities to expand my knowledge and take on different tasks. I also really enjoy the pressure of the accounting cycle. Each month you gear up for month end close which lasts about 2 – 3 weeks and before you know it, you are getting ready for another crazy couple of weeks. Some people might not enjoy this type of atmosphere but the deadlines keep me motivated and excited to come into work.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to have this internship before graduation. The work experience will help me immensely when I graduate and working somewhere that gives you a lot of responsibility will allow me to share that experience with interviewers. I have also become more familiar with an office environment and adjusted to the day-to-day flow of office life that includes meetings, phone calls, and urgent projects.

Little Sweden Internship!

Jennifer Boeckman

Financial Assistant Intern

Little Sweden Condominium Association is a resort located in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Fish Creek is located in Door County, which has become a popular tourist destination. Little Sweden stays the busiest in the summer months due to all of the vacationers.

Currently, I am a Financial Assistant intern at Little Sweden. I began my internship in December of 2010. Before beginning my internship I was the Activities Director of the resort. Upon graduating I knew I would be required to fulfill an internship so I asked my supervisor if I could do my internship there. I am very thankful of the opportunity they have given me because I have learned a lot about the job itself and know more about which direction I want to go in concerning my career after college.

One of the things that I like the most about working at Little Sweden is that every day I learn something new and know that each day will be different. I like the variety of work and know how beneficial it is to me to learn many different tasks in the finance department.

At Little Sweden I assist the finance department in data entry and daily finance procedures. Some of my responsibilities include; daily sales auditing, accounts payable entry, account receivable entry, rental proceeds distribution, payroll preparation, yearend reporting, monthly inventory analysis, and monthly utility analysis and billing.

Working at Little Sweden has made me really appreciate working for a small company. I like how all of the employees know one another and get along very well. This creates a positive work environment and helps everyone to work well together. Everyone is treated with great respect and all of the employees are appreciated for their work. If I ever have any questions about what I am doing I never hesitate to ask because I know my supervisor is always willing to help me out.

I have also had the opportunity to meet a lot of people that stay at the resort. This has helped build my communication skills by interacting with the guests. Also, I have had the opportunity to build my professional network. I have met a lot of people in the finance and accounting field who have all been willing to talk about their experiences in these fields and give me advice.

The opportunity of having this internship and the courses I have taken at UW Oshkosh have given me the tools I need for a successful career. I feel now that I have had this experience and have thoroughly enjoyed it, that I want to pursue a career in the finance field. I also know that in my career search I will be looking for a company similar to one like Little Sweden.

Primerica Internship

Holly Evers

Primerica Intern

I am currently an intern at Primerica. I began my internship with Primerica in November of 2010. I had first heard of Primerica through an internship posting on Titan Jobs and through the College of Business Networking Night I met my supervisor. This eventually led to my internship.
Primerica is a financial service marketing organization. The company provides financial services and products such as mutual funds, annuities, segregated funds, long-term care insurance, loans, auto insurance, home insurance, pre-paid legal services, debt management plans, and credit monitoring to almost everyone.

My position as a financial coach includes responsibilities such as assisting my supervisor with contacting clients, filling out and completing client paperwork, answering phones, and meeting with clients. When meeting with clients, I help clients make informed decisions by teaching them what most people don’t know about money. This is how I spend most of my time during my internship.

I have learned a lot in the past couple months. Not only have I been able to help clients with their finances, I’ve also learned how to better manage my own. Working with my supervisor and meeting with clients has been a learning experience on both a career level and a personal level. Confidence is one of the main things Primerica has helped me to obtain. This internship is a great way to break out of your shell.

I faced some challenges so far in my internship. It was hard for me to get used to meeting with clients outside of an office setting, but I now realize that meeting in a public place such as a local coffee shop can make the initial meeting more comfortable for both the agent and the client.

I am learning a lot at Primerica. This internship has and continues to help me with my career and the goals that I have. I would recommend that everyone should look for an internship sooner than later because it is a great experience.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company HR Co-op

Kristen Erickson

HR Major

The company has two operations in Tomahawk, Wisconsin that produce windshields and cosmetic components for Original Equipment and Parts and Accessories, and also complete custom painting.

Currently, I am the Human Resources Co-op at Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s Tomahawk Operations. In my position, one of the tasks I have the opportunity to assist with is the coordination of the co-op recruitment drive (posting positions, pre-screening candidates’ resumes, setting up interviews, attending a career fair, and assisting with interviews).

I also help plan employee relations events, track monthly safety training, archive grievance related documents for joint access by the union and company, and run reports in Business Objects, AS400 and PeopleSoft. Recently, I have also been fortunate to assist with the recall process of over 20 employees, the planning of Supervisor/Union Steward Training, and the coordination of Myers Briggs testing and 360-degree feedback.

One of the best things about the internship at Harley-Davidson is the fact that each day is different. I am constantly learning new things, and whenever I have questions, or need assistance, someone is always willing to lend a hand.

I was nervous to move to an entirely different area of the state for the co-op, but since it is an established internship program, they had many resources available to help make my move smooth; including a list of apartments previous co-ops have stayed in, and a workforce that has been incredibly welcoming to me and other co-ops.

My internship has taught me so much about Human Resources already even though it’s only been two months. I look forward to continuing to learn at Harley-Davidson over the next six months.

The education University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh provided me thus far has been incredibly helpful during my internship, and I find myself growing personally, and professionally with each passing day.