Bruke Mikesell ’13

Major(s):Economics
Internship Site: Stone Street Capital - Bethesda, MD

The Internship:  
I discovered Stone Street Capital’s internship through Internships.com.  I made an account that requires a resume and references to be uploaded for employers to view.  Stone Street Capital fit my criteria and I sent in a resume online and received a phone call asking for an onsite interview a week later.

  

As an intern, I was assigned to a specific database for “web leads.” My part of the project was to contact clients that showed interest in selling their annuities or structured settlement payments. The potential clients that viewed and filled out a questionnaire on the company website dated back to 2008. My work on this project allowed the company to see where sales fall short. Stone Street Capital discovered that “web leads” are just as important as clients found through the court system, direct mail or call-ins. I enjoyed this project because I felt my job was vital to solving a problem for the company.


The Preparation:  
A class at Dickinson that prepared me for my internship this summer was Intermediate Microeconomics. In my Microeconomics class, one lesson that is used as a main point at Stone Street Capital is present value. The understanding of terms and how the value is calculated was used daily to help our clients understand the value of money in the economy today and in the future.  


Making Connections:  
The person I believe helped me in my internship experience was my supervisor.  He helped with my customer service skills, confidence and understanding of the company’s process on completing a transaction. He allowed me to sit in on meetings and shadow assistant account executives to discover techniques and skills they find helpful in this type of work environment. The guidance I received from my supervisor in the type of market Stone Street Capital operates showed me where my strengths and weaknesses are for this specific job.


Tips from Bruke:
Stay positive during the internship process. The biggest challenge is where to locate the internship that fits your criteria – don’t be discouraged. When your mind is set on achieving the goal of gaining an internship experience, then you will be determined to make it happen. Applying for as many opportunities as possible will also provide variety and better chances at earning employment.  

  

I remained flexible, open minded, positive and prepared during the process which allowed me to succeed at finding the internship. Lastly, always look for networking opportunities. Speak with other students, alumni, professors and family members. I found that having business cards are very important if you want to be remembered when networking.

  

  

*To find out more about how to get an internship, make an appointment with a career counselor. Just call the Career Center at 717-245-1740 or stop by Biddle House.