Name: Grace Day
Hometown: West Chester, Ohio
Year: Class of 2021
Major: Psychology and human relations
Internship: Day spent the summer as an HR Total Rewards intern with Krispy Kreme in Charlotte, North Carolina. Through this experience, she was able to explore and gain knowledge in total rewards within the HR department and assisted in many different projects within the company, from researching and gathering information on different employee assistance programs, to giving a presentation on education and student loan assistance.
How HPU helped you get there: “HPU helped me develop skills to adapt and be flexible in different situations. Especially during this time, being able to be flexible is extremely important and one of the skills that contributed to my success during this internship. HPU also helped me prepare for this internship because I was able to gain a solid knowledge base from HPU before starting my internship. When the internship actually started, I was able to use that knowledge, as well as grow that knowledge. I used tips from the Office of Career and Professional Development going through the application and interview process for different internships.”
Most Impactful Mentor: “It’s hard to choose just one impactful mentor at HPU. All of my professors have been great at HPU and have contributed to my growth in one way or another. Two of the mentors that immediately come to mind are Dr. Danzis and Dr. Bergen. They are both great teachers who have significantly contributed to my growth, not only academically, but also personally. I am extremely grateful I have had the opportunity to have them as mentors during my time at HPU.”
What has your internship experience been like, and how is it preparing you for your future?: “This experience has been very unique and one that I won’t ever forget. I was able to build skills that I wouldn’t have been able to build if it weren’t for COVID (such as technology skills). Throughout this internship, I have been welcomed with open arms by the HR team and immediately felt comfortable. The entire team played a fundamental part in my growth this summer and I feel extremely grateful to have met them all. In the future, I know I will be able to use the skills that I gained throughout this internship. Before this internship, I hadn’t had exposure to total rewards and this internship has given me the opportunity to learn something new about total rewards each day. I was also able to learn about the different areas of HR in addition to total rewards. This internship has also given me the unique opportunity of working virtually. All of the skills that I was able to acquire while working virtually are skills that I will use in my future.”