Madison Krohn
Major(s): 2nd Year - Computer Science BS
Interned at Northwestern Mutual
What did a typical day look like as a Software Engineer at Northwestern Mutual?
My team was required to go into the office every Tuesday and the rest of the week we would either work from home or go into the office. Regardless of if we were in the office or working from home, we would start the day with stand-up. In the stand-up meetings, we would share what we worked on the day before and what we planned to work on that day. We would also share if there were any important meetings coming up that others might want to join in on and if we needed help with anything as well. After stand-up, we would work on our own things. During my internship, I was tasked with creating this microapp for their tax configuration in the New York Metro Area and most of my day was spent working on finishing the app. I would usually take lunch at 11, and if I was in the office, I would either get lunch with my team or fellow college interns as well.
How did you navigate securing multiple internships within the same company?
When I was in high school, I was a part of a program called Girls Who Code and we learned about different coding skills for 11 weeks during the winter. The program then shared that they had this opportunity for a “Hi, Tech” minicamp over the summer at Northwestern Mutual. During the minicamp, I met other high school juniors and seniors that had a passion for coding and wanted to see what their future could look like in the technology field. We learned many coding skills such as how to use CSS, HTML, and JavaScript to build mini projects to help us understand the languages better. Towards the end of the minicamp, everyone had the chance to have mock interviews and we all got placed in a team for a mini-internship and got to work on our own without the minicamp team. I was placed on a cyber security team and worked with testing their forms that users would use to report if they were traveling for the company and their reason. My senior year of high school I had the chance to have an internship block every other day and I reached out to my coordinator from Northwestern Mutual during the minicamp, and she helped me secure an internship on one of the teams that my instructor from the minicamp worked on. During that time when I was working, I mostly was learning how to apply my skills I knew to programs that helped the team. Even though it was mini tasks to do, I improved many skills both involving coding and personal skills such as communication and teamwork. I was offered to work that summer of my senior year and continued to work on the same team and even got the chance to come into the office to work. Last summer I reached out to my boss from the last internship and asked if I could come back from the summer as a college intern and he connected me to the university relations team that handled all the college internships. During my summer at NM, it was more based around building our professional skills and skills relating to our roles as well. I met many fellow interns and listened to different speakers relating to the technology field that were at the company. I think with my internship at a corporate company, I got to see what a job in the technology field would look like in this big aspect. I would recommend the college internship to anyone that wants to see how their major would fit at a big company such as Northwestern Mutual.
How has your experience aided you since returning to study at the University of Iowa?
During my internships at Northwestern Mutual, I felt like I learned many professional skills that have helped me become a better public speaker and taught me how to communicate better with others. By working with a team, together and one-on-one, I have learned how to work proficiently to all reach our target goals for our various projects we had going on. Transitioning back to Iowa I feel like the communication skills I learned have helped me be able to speak up in class and work well with others on projects overall.
What skills did you develop or enhance during your time as an intern?
Overall, I feel like I learned many communication skills as well as further improved my coding knowledge. By working alongside other employees, I learned about collaborating and sharing ideas/constructive criticism with them as well.
What helpful tips do you have for current students seeking internships?
I think that it is never too early to apply for internships. Even if you do not end up getting the position, it is a great way to improve your interview skills and get connected with people in the field. I would say to create a LinkedIn profile that can help you look for jobs and show off your skills and achievements to employers. Also, looking at Handshake can be helpful to find openings as people are always reaching out and looking for students to fill their internship opportunities.
What was your favorite aspect of your internship?
My favorite aspect of my internship was meeting fellow interns from all over the country and from different schools. At the end of the internship this year, we had an intern showcase where we presented what we did over the summer to co-workers, and it was like a science fair-type set-up. When I was not presenting on my day, I went and listened to the other interns talk and it was cool to learn what they had been doing with their time at Northwestern Mutual.
Can you see yourself in a future career with Northwestern Mutual?
I do think I could see myself with a future career with Northwestern Mutual or a similar company. I am glad that I had the chance to be able to come back to such a great company for multiple opportunities and could grow my professional career as well.