Many University of South Carolina Aiken students have the opportunity to gain experience in their chosen fields through internships with local companies. Hanna Palladini, business administration major with a concentration in management, is serving as a personnel security intern for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) this summer.
What will your role with SRNS involve?
I'll be working in the badge office, helping to ensure that all employees are processed correctly. The badge office serves as a general checkpoint for all personnel before they access the barricaded area.
How does this opportunity align with your career goals?
This internship puts me in contact with a lot of people because everyone has to go through security in some fashion, and building interpersonal skills aligns with my managerial interests. I'm interested in project controls—really anything that involves creating new things and working with the general public—and would like to continue working for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions in the future.
What else do you hope to gain from this experience?
Generally, I'm looking for more experience in the working world, either in security or supply controls. I'm trying to get experience with every position imaginable so I can be a valuable and versatile job candidate when I graduate.
What other experiences have helped prepare you for your future in business administration?
I also interned with SRNS last summer. That internship was in human performance improvement (HPI), essentially their safety program. HPI involved far more creativity than I expected, such as coming up with engaging learning activities while emphasizing teamwork and making safety fun. Learning how to make things interesting to people will help me become a better manager later in my career.
How were you chosen for these roles?
With my first internship, there was an emphasis on public speaking and thinking outside of the box. A lot of intern candidates did not anticipate speaking to large crowds, so I believe the skills I brought to the table in that area helped. With the second, my resume was a bit polished with the previous experience in HPI. I approached SRNS independently and interviewed through their hiring managers each time.
What led you to choose business administration for your major?
Business seems to be very broad, so job security is likely. I considered STEM fields, but business administration is less math intensive and allows for a bit more creativity.
What advice would you give other students seeking an internship?
Apply as often as you can and keep updating your resume! Also, a lot of people think that SRNS is for engineering majors, but that is not the case. They welcome anyone who fits their job descriptions. Check them out and see if their openings fit you. Chances are, they will.
