November 18, 2020
In turn with Aaron Watson
In turn is a series that highlights the interns and internship opportunities found within the College of Business (COB).
So, what can we write about Aaron Watson? Well, we can write a lot, actually. The Wilkesboro senior is a double major (management information systems and marketing). He currently is a COB Peer Mentor and a member of Phi Kappa Phi (an academic honor society) and Beta Gamma Sigma (the premier honor society for business students). And he’s the vice president of community services for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
With all these activities, he still found time to intern with the non-profit Hope Restorations through ECU’s SECU Public Fellows Internship program.
When asked how he learned about the internship opportunity, Watson said, “through a COB Career Center Newsletter from Lee Brown.”
What were your responsibilities?
I had a project of implementing the CRM platform, Salesforce. I had to set up, customize and import data. It was designed to track information such as donations, grants, program participants, and contracting projects. It also can be used to generate reports.
How did the COB prepare you to be the chosen candidate?
The COB prepared me by teaching me communication skills, strong technical skills, and professional skills to excel in this role.
Describe your experience at the COB.
My COB experience has been fantastic. Ever since my freshman year – walking through the doors of Bate to classes like MIS Intro to Computers – I knew this place was for me, and I knew the faculty was going to be phenomenal. In the COB, I felt I had everything in place around me to maximize my success while preparing for the real-world business environment. The professors excel in every category. I learned never to underestimate the value a professor could have in affecting my development.
Why would you recommend a business student take advantage of an internship opportunity?
Having one under your belt is significant to getting a job. It provides a real-world experience with a real organization and shows potential future employers that you know how to operate and succeed in that environment.
What was the moment during your internship search process where you knew that your ECU COB education has paid off?
I knew my education had paid off during my internship search when I was offered multiple interviews for different sites participating in the SECU PFI Program. I knew that meant people had found a differentiating value in my education and skills gained from the COB.
Watson is interested in information security and hopes to land an IT job after graduating in 2021.