Here’s a quick look at one HPU student’s standout summer in finance.
Name: MJ Edwards, Class of 2028
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina
Major: Accounting
Internship plans: MJ Edwards, Class of 2028, served as a Financial Services and Support Intern at Allegacy Financial in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In the role he assisted with the backend administration, transaction processing and operational upkeep of member deposit accounts and credit card programs. Working across Deposit Operations and Card Services, MJ helped manage account maintenance requests, reconcile transaction exceptions and support fraud and dispute documentation to ensure regulatory compliance and accuracy. The cross-functional role gave him direct exposure to core payment processing, risk mitigation and deposit portfolio workflows in a credit union environment.
How HPU helped you get there:
“Through the Office of Career & Professional Development, I have learned how to build my involvement on campus for the interests I am passionate about, as well as having a strong resume and LinkedIn profile. My campus involvement has taught me how to be a leader, what my weaknesses are, as well as how to communicate and work in a team setting. All of these things have helped me become a better business professional, and will continue to help me get better every day throughout my journey.”
What has your internship experience been like?
“My internship experience was great. I learned many skills when it came to teamwork, networking, communication, as well as how to operate as a business professional in a corporate setting. I got to shadow six departments, and for my project I was asked to provide a process improvement that the department could use for the future of Allegacy. So, for the whole summer I got to learn a lot about AI, and create a presentation on how Allegacy can enhance their Microsoft 365 license, and create an AI agent within the software that they have to help them with their daily tasks, as well as reduce the manual processes needed to complete work. Also, I presented having an Excel cheat sheet built into the Microsoft 365 agent, and having a printed sheet for every department with different functions that help their specific department, and the presentation went very well, and they will be using my full complete plan that I presented.”
Most impactful mentor at HPU:
“Dr. Doug Hall, vice president of career and professional development, and Mr. Andy Brehm, director of corporate relations, have both had a lasting impact on me. The valuable insight and coaching they have both given me will last me a lifetime. No matter how he was feeling or how his day was going, Mr. Brehm would always welcome me with open arms and provide positive energy for the rest of my day, and he has supported me through every step of the way and has helped me navigate the process of building myself for a strong career in the future. Dr. Hall has done nothing but support me as well, as he and I have had numerous one on one conversations where he has shown me how to make the best use of my time at HPU, how to prioritize the things for my career, as well as always being there for me whenever it came to questions about my career. Dr. Hall is also the reason why I am a part of the GCI Organization outside of campus, which is a professional organization of young men learning leadership, networking and business professionalism.”
Most impactful moment at HPU:
“My current most impactful moment at HPU is when I joined my first Executive Council, NABA, and then I went to the National Conference in Las Vegas. This moment completely changed the trajectory of my college journey when it came to becoming the best business professional that I can be. Seeing all of the companies pour into students, as well as the NABA professionals, showed me there are a lot of professionals who are looking for the next generation to prosper as well, and it showed me that I must continue to stay locked in to the path God is leading me on.”
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