Students ride amazing wave of summer internships

On any given day in her time as an intern with the Boston Celtics, communications major Bree Smith ’27 could be working courtside at the media table, attending press conferences, assisting with player interviews or presenting media data to the front office.
“This experience enhanced all the skills that are key to my career goal of working in athletic communications, either at the professional level or at the collegiate level as a sports information director,” said Smith, who came to Stonehill from Waterford, Connecticut. “During my time at the Celtics, I helped contribute to 21 Celtics home games and four NBA playoff games.”

With a strong career development program and its Experiential Education Guarantee, which ensures every student graduates with at least one practical hands-on experience, Stonehill students are engaged with internships year round. But the wave crests in summer, when the break between semesters allows them to dive deeper into professional experiences.

“Historically, we’ve always encouraged students to look beyond our campus for opportunities, and nearly 90% of our students were already engaging in experiential education in some form,” Christina Burney, executive director of experiential education, said earlier this year. “But by creating (EEG), we can offer more intentional guidance and help students get even greater value from their experience.”

In addition to her Celtics internship, Smith has also gained professional experiences through her work as the social media coordinator for Stonehill’s football program and through participation in the Disney Leadership Experience. “I worked with Career Development multiple times, which was super helpful when preparing for an interview and during the application process,” she said. “I also benefitted from alumni support, connecting with former Celtics intern Madison Shorey ’25 to discuss her experiences with the team.” 

Tools such as career services, faculty advising and alumni mentoring help students in virtually every major at Stonehill. Below, are examples of others who participated in internships this summer with insights as to how the experience helped them shape their career goals. 

AMAZON

Edwin Staudt ’27
Major: Management
Hometown: Franconia, New Hampshire

Experience highlight: Learned new skills, gained leadership experience 

“In the course of five weeks, I went from being viewed as an Amazon intern to an Amazon manager and subsequently I was given full manager credentials and permissions that allowed me to work at the level for the remainder of the internship,” said Staudt, who plans to pursue a management career after graduating. “I am happy to say I am prepared to apply to full-time jobs when college ends.”

WJAR NBC 10 NEWS

Annie Renz ’27
Major: English
Hometown: Milton, Massachusetts

Experience highlight: Career direction insights, professional development

“Going into this summer, I knew I wanted to work in news, but this experience allowed me to figure out exactly what career I want: producing,” said Renz, who is editor in chief of Stonehill’s student newspaper and also completed an internship at WLNE ABC 6 News. “I got a taste of all careers inside the newsroom, and that allowed to embrace each one fully to figure out what I like the most. I now feel confident and prepared to enter the newsroom after graduation.”

MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE

William Cunniff Jr. ’28
Major: Political Science & International Studies
Hometown: Quincy, Massachusetts

Experience highlight: Communication skills development, career clarity

“My experience as a legislative intern in the office of State Senator John F. Keenan benefited my career goals because I gained a solid understanding of the internal dynamics of the State Senate,” said Cunniff, who previously conducted data research as an intern at the Adams Presidential Center in Quincy, Massachusetts. “I also refined my interpersonal communication and public speaking skills. And I had the opportunity to network with all different types of people in the world of politics, including lobbyists and nonprofit leaders.”

DELOITTE

Katherine Farr ’27
Major: Accounting
Hometown: Durham, Connecticut

Experience highlight:  Career insights, value of alumni and career advisors

“Jim Holmes ’96, a Deloitte partner in their Boston office, and Renee Bernier from Career Development were very supportive and helped me secure my internship in Hartford, Connecticut,” said Farr, a member of Stonehill’s NCAA Division I soccer team and the Stonehill chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the international accounting honors society. “By interning as a tax intern, I feel much more knowledgeable about what a public accountant does, which gives me confidence for when I start with my full-time job.” 

PLYMOUTH COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Mali Zekavat ’27
Major: Criminology
Hometown: Natick, Massachusetts

Experience highlight: Faculty support, career clarity 

“Professor Pamerson Ifill, who also serves as the Commissioner of Probation for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, played an important role in helping me secure this internship,” says Zekavat, who plans to attend law school after graduation this May. “His mentorship and recommendation helped open the door to this opportunity and has had a significant impact on my professional development.”

TIGHE & BOND

Katie Quinn ’27
Major: Graphic design
Hometown: East Hampton, New York

Experience highlight: Chance to sharpen and learn new skills

“This experience benefits my career goals by allowing me to strengthen both my graphic design and marketing skills at a leading engineering and environmental consulting firm,” said Quinn, who credits Professor Cristy Vallee Morgan for helping her build confidence in her work and continue growing as a designer. “I gained hands-on experience creating materials for real audiences, working within brand standards, and adapting designs for both print and digital platforms. I also gained a better understand of how design supports communication, client engagement and overall business goals.”

CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT

Jack Revellese ’27
Major: Criminology
Hometown: Norwood, Massachusetts

Experience highlight: Solidified desire to work in a large police department

“Participating in an internship in the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) Program allowed me to experience how a massive city’s police department operates, in contrast to the small department I have previously experienced,” Revellese said of CAPS, which blends traditional policing strategies with alternative strategies aimed at encouraging community members and police to work together in order to prevent and control crime. “I had the chance to use the group project skills I’ve learned in the classroom to help facilitate operations and duties performed by me and other officers.”

REU PROGRAM/OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 

Connor Barbary ’27
Major: Chemistry
Hometown: Seekonk, Massachusetts

Experience highlight: Nationally renowned research experience

“I learned a variety of techniques for synthesizing a desired pheromone-binding protein,” Barbary said of his participation in the highly competitive Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at Oklahoma State University. “My academic advisor, Dr. Cheryl Schnitzer, was extremely helpful in informing me about research opportunities and persuading me to reach out. This experience – along with being a (peer tutor) – will help me when I am a teaching assistant in graduate school and help me gain confidence in my ability as a chemist.” 

LAVNER EDUCATION

Brianna DeMedeiros ’27
Majors: Communication & Media Studies, Digital Media Production (DMP)
Hometown: Fairhaven, Massachusetts

Experience highlight: Leadership skill development, career clarity

“During my time at Lavner Education, I instructed campers ages 8-14 in topics related to STEM,” said DeMedeiros, who credits DMP chair Katie Shannon and Ron Leone, chair of Communication & Media Studies, with giving her the confidence she needed to succeed. “I taught filmmaking, YouTube content creation and game design in Roblox Creator Studio and in the process learned how to be a leader, be a support system and share my passion with this younger generation. It makes me lean toward a career in education.”

JEFFERIES LLC

Nicholas Davies ’27
Majors: Economics, Business Analytics 
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand

Experience highlight: Internship led to job offer

“My experience provided me with a taste of the day-to-day experiences of a research analyst,” said Davies, who after his internship was offered a position in the Equity Research Division at Jefferies LLC, a leading global investment banking and capital markets firm headquartered in New York City. “Supported by mentorship from some of the most experienced analysts in the business, I gained exposure to practices which developed my understanding of equities and markets. My experience will shape the foundation of my career in finance.”

PHYSIOHEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY 

Ashley Prevett ’27
Major: Health science
Hometown: Foxborough, Massachusetts

Experience Highlight: Clinical experience, new skills

“This experience gave me valuable clinical opportunities, exposing me to hands-on interactions with patients and giving effective and reliable care,” said Prevett, who serves as the Physical Therapy Committee Chair of the Pre-Health Society has been captain of the Stonehill Dance Team. “It taught me many different clinical rehabilitation methods and gave me experience with equipment used in treatment and learned how this benefits each patients’ goals. I also gained a deeper understanding of what it means to deliver quality care.”