Nicholas Hogan’23 — I had the immense luck this summer to intern remotely for Safe Hiring Solutions and the Business Innovation Program (BIP) through the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College. This internship provided me an excellent opportunity to enhance my skills in marketing and public relations. During my time with the company, I was able to do a great deal of market research for the company, and I used this research effectively to attract various companies and non for-profit organizations to Safe Hiring’s products. Being thrust into personal marketing situations with potential clients has greatly increased my ability to make quick and effective pitches of products, and I hope to be able to apply this skill in other environments, such as interviews.
While at Safe Hiring Solutions, I was also able to familiarize myself with some of the new innovations in security software and hardware. I was most interested in the innovations in regard to dealing with the current pandemic. With Safe Hiring Solutions’ new technology, a building owner can set up security kiosks to not only deny access to individuals without proper clearance, but also individuals who exhibit unsafe temperatures. This kind of modernized response to COVID-19 is incredibly important to helping flatten the curve in the United States and abroad.
While working for Safe Hiring Solutions, I also had the privilege of receiving additional training courses through the BIP. Working with Wabash alumnus, I and my fellow interns were able to participate in a large number of Harvard Business case studies online, helping me expand my business knowledge. I was also introduced to the concept of emotional intelligence, and now I hope to use my newfound knowledge to improve my interpersonal relationships. During the summer I was able to go through the BIP and become lean certified, a process that would have cost me a significant amount on my own, but was provided for free through the BIP.
I enjoyed working with the Wabash alumnus and my fellow interns for the summer. This internship has definitely proved to me the viability of working from home for some positions. While I did learn a lot from home, I won’t deny I am excited to be back on campus, and to begin in person learning again.
