November 18, 2021
In turn with Jessie Clark
The future is all planned out for graduate student Jessie Clark. She interned with Lowe’s Home Improvement at its Mooresville corporate office in 2020 and 2021. She recently graduated with a BSBA (supply chain management concentration) in May. She is now pursuing her MBA and will take on a full-time role at Lowe’s in June 2022.
We recently spoke with the Culpeper, Virginia native, about her internships (and the College of Business) experiences.
“I learned about the opportunity at an ECU Career Fair,” said Clark. “My responsibilities at Lowe’s were working with my assigned manager and mentor to solve a business problem for Lowe’s and then present our findings to directors and other management.”
How have you applied what you learned in your classwork to this position?
I have applied the Excel skills and the leadership skills my classes in the College of Business have taught me.
What was the most challenging thing you experienced during your internship, and how did what you learned in the COB help you overcome it?
The remote work environment. I believe COB helped because professors and staff had to use other ways to connect with students, such as Teams or Webex, during virtual learning, and this helped me be prepared when I experienced the same environment at Lowe’s.
How did you apply what you learned in BUSI 1200, BUSI 2200, BUSI 3200 or BUSI 4200 to your internship?
I applied what I learned in Business 1200 to my interview process, and I applied the BUSI 2200 teamwork skills.
What has this internship taught you about responsibility?
It gave me an example of a real-world work environment, and I had to make sure I managed my time to stay on track.
How will this internship benefit you?
It allowed me to meet so many great connections in the business world and be exposed to great leaders and mentors. It also equipped me to understand how problems in the supply chain are solved.
Why would you recommend a business student take advantage of an internship opportunity?
Getting real-world experience complements the learning in the classroom and helps set you up for more opportunities.