Major: CAS and Economics
Hometown: State College, PA

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I found this internship at the beginning of the summer while I was walking home one day from class. The new PSECU office was just being completed and there were employment flyers hanging on the front door. At the time I didn’t even know what PSECU really was but that night I got home and I ended up doing a little research on the company. Afterwards, I decided that working for a company like PSECU would be really beneficial, considering I have wanted to get into banking ever since I was a little kid. I applied online and two days later I received a phone call asking to set up a time for an interview.

Tell us a little bit about your experience.

My daily experience at PSECU can go one of two ways. Some days I am in the financial center answering phones, assisting members with any questions that they may have or assisting new members with opening accounts or loans. The other half of the time I am working outside of the office running engagement and promotional tables throughout the downtown area. When I run one of these tables I am engaging the community and making people within the State College area aware that PSECU now has a physical location in their area. Much of this also consists of answering questions concerning the community and teaching people about what PSECU has to offer or what a credit union even is.

How did this experience impact you academically?

This internship has had a profound impact on me academically. This semester I am currently taking 21 credits so I must always be on top of all my classes as well as my own personal life. Working for PSECU, along with this semesters course load, has taught me that the most important thing to do to be successful is to stay organized. Becoming much more organized has helped me a lot with my school work. Just half way through the semester I already feel that my grades this semester will be the best they’ve been in my four years of college.

Working for PSECU, along with this semesters' course load, taught me that the most important thing to do to be successful is to stay organized.

What are your career goals and plans?  How did this experience impact them?

This internship experience has helped me discover what type of banking I would like to pursue in the future. Before this internship I was positive that I wanted to get into the banking sector but I wasn’t really too sure if I wanted to become a part of the commercial side, private side, or investment side. This experience has taught me that commercial banking is not really what I am truly interested in. I have learned that the private investment side of banking is what I am truly interested in and trying to find a job in this field is a top priority of mine after attending graduate school.

Would you recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students?

Yes, I would recommend this internship to other Liberal Arts students. It can help provide students a very well rounded experience that allows you to learn things about banking and marketing, as well as how the corporate management world works. Many of the other interns that I work with come from completely different areas of the university. Currently I work with two people from the Communications school, one from Smeal, and one from the engineering school. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who is looking to give themselves an internship experience while still being able to stay in State College and attend classes.