This summer I had the opportunity to intern at Stanton Chase, a global executive search and leadership consulting firm, in their Washington, D.C. office for alumni Jeff Perkins (’89). I worked as a Business Development Associate alongside fellow Wabash students Drew Rathbun (’26) and Cole Williams (’27). Together, we focused on strengthening the firm’s business development efforts, gaining a wide variety of experience with client briefings, prep materials, AI-driven outreach, and marketing content for Jeff’s LinkedIn campaign. Along the way, I gained exposure to a wide range of industries including private equity, aerospace and defense, healthcare, higher education, and nonprofit organizations.
Our capstone project as interns was a presentation introducing AI tools such as ZoomInfo, SourceWhale, and Clay.AI to the firm to improve their Business Development strategy. This led to the firm adopting ZoomInfo to better track clients and receive timely updates. We also presented research on the private equity industry, identifying it as an untapped business opportunity for the firm. Our recommendation was to build relationships early with PE firms and offer leadership talent assessments during their scaling transitions. These projects gave me hands-on experience in strategic research and practical business solutions.
I also had the opportunity to lead a project identifying over eighty Education Technology (EdTech) organizations as potential client targets for our education sector, helping expand client outreach and relationship building.
One of my favorite and most unique parts of this experience was the opportunity to work so closely with Drew and Cole, who were not only great teammates but also became some of my best friends.
Among the many valuable lessons I learned during this internship, the most important one was learning how to build relationships and think like a consultant. I learned that executive search is not just about looking for the best information on candidates, but rather about understanding why that information matters in the context of a search or business decision. Even junior-level research can influence the way a search firm pitches a client, frames a candidate, or enters a new market. As an Economics major with strengths in analytical and strategic thinking, this experience sharpened my ability to connect complex information to actionable strategies.
I am forever grateful to Jeff Perkins (’89), the Stanton Chase D.C. team, and Wabash for making this experience possible. This internship gave me a stronger professional foundation, a deeper appreciation for critical thinking, and a lasting reminder that curiosity is one of the most valuable things you can bring to the table.
