Setting the Stage: Work That Matters
From building dashboards that drive smarter decisions to supporting core HR operations, this year’s interns dove headfirst into meaningful work that challenged and inspired them.
Fallyn Smadi, a Business Data Analyst Intern at Panasonic Consumer Electronics Corporation (PCEC), is spending her summer enhancing Power BI dashboards and reporting tools to streamline insights across Panasonic’s Business Analytics & Demand Planning unit. “It’s been all about analyzing data, creating visualizations and helping improve how information is shared to support better decision-making,” she explained.
Victor Cespedes, an HRIS Intern supporting the HR department, is working on resolving internal ticketing issues and preparing for a larger project that will impact employee experience. “To date, I’ve been supporting the HRIS team by troubleshooting and resolving tickets, which has helped me build a stronger understanding of how we manage employee data and system workflows. I’m preparing to take on a new project that will build on this experience and allow me to apply those insights in a broader context,” he shared.
For Priyanka Satish Kumar, a Data Analyst Intern in Sales Operations & Supply Chain at Panasonic Eco Solutions of North America (PESNA), her work focuses on helping decision-makers access real-time business insights. “I distill monthly and quarterly sales performance by region, build ad hoc reporting solutions and support decision-making with clear, timely insights,” she said. “This internship is the practical capstone to my master’s program, and I’ve loved seeing the impact of my work in real time.”
Connecting Beyond the Job
What happens outside of the inbox and separate from spreadsheets is just as powerful. Intern events, impromptu lunches, and first-week meet and greets became the foundation for connection.
For Smadi, weekly intern events help bring the cohort closer. “One standout was the ‘Paths After College’ event, where current employees shared their career journeys. It gave us valuable insight into different paths and inspired many of us to reflect on our own goals.”
Cespedes echoed this, stating, “Without these events, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to develop connections with these amazing people. The intern meet-and-greet event was by far the closest I’ve felt to the other interns.”
Kumar’s friendships took off early. “After the first icebreaker, we started claiming a big lunch table every afternoon to swap stories about our assignments, share quick tips on the tools we’re learning and laugh over first-week mishaps. A spin-off group chat keeps things lively and has become my first place to go for feedback or a quick morale boost.”
Moments of Belonging: Feeling Seen and Supported
Every intern had a moment that made them feel like they weren’t just an intern but part of something bigger.
Cespedes felt it on his very first day in the office. “Everyone was so kind and welcoming. The atmosphere in the building was full of positivity and diligence. It made me feel like I belonged.”
Kumar remembered walking into the office full of first-day nerves. “A fellow intern who’d started a week earlier spotted it, walked me to the café for coffee and talked me through the first-week rhythm. He even mapped out my best commute routes and dropped me home that evening. That simple kindness turned an overwhelming first day into a welcoming one.”
For Smadi, the culture of support was unmistakable from the beginning. “The welcoming and inclusive environment made me feel excited and supported, which helped me transition smoothly into my internship and feel confident contributing to the team.”
The Power of Community
For each intern, community didn’t just shape the social experience, it shaped their professional growth, too.
“This community transformed a solo analytics role into a collaborative learning sprint,” Kumar shared. “Knowing I can ping a peer for feedback or be that sounding board for them keeps projects nimble, ideas fresh and the workplace genuinely fun.”
Smadi agreed: “Community has played a major role in shaping my experience. From day one, I felt a strong sense of belonging.”
Though Cespedes primarily works remotely, the connection he feels during his in-person days is meaningful. “It made a big difference. Even working from home, I feel like I am part of a team that cares.”
