TOWSON, Md. - Elizabethtown College student-athlete Kelly Holdren describes his internship experience in the Landmark Conference Student of the Week series.
Describe your overall internship/volunteer or experience?
The Hershey company has done a great job adapting to the challenges of COVID and allowing me to have a great internship experience. My experience so far has been very positive and beneficial to my professional career, and the Hershey company deserves a lot of credit for allowing me to have a successful internship.
What have you learned from your experience?
One of the many things that I have learned is how to manage a portfolio effectively in order to maximize margins and growth. As a CPG company, it is important to constantly create new and exciting products while keeping the consumer's interests in mind, making certain projects are both challenging and exciting.
How will this internship help you in your career moving forward?
One of the great aspects about my internship is the many opportunities that I have had to work with different divisions of the company. By working with different individuals on a variety of projects, I have developed a wide understanding of how business is conducted at a professional level.
What kind of networking have you done at your internship/volunteering?
Working remotely would normally make networking and meeting people extremely difficult. In my case however, the Hershey company has made it a focus for me to network with as many different individuals as I can in an attempt to replicate the experience of working from the home office. Since my first day, I have been meeting countless individuals and enjoyed engaging conversations about the various roles and projects within the company.
Do you have a favorite experience or story? If so, what was it?
So far, my favorite experience has been helping develop new products that consumers will be able to enjoy next year. It is very interesting to see how a product starts in its earliest stages, and then to see it develop all the way to being available for purchase.
