Share:

Learn More

Young Alumna

Kristen Kodric
My colleagues and leadership team ensured I had the opportunities to make meaningful contributions to our work environment, and the company more broadly.

“100 per cent go for it,” advises Kristen Kodric, a fourth-year BMOS student who recently completed a 12-month internship within 3M Canada’s Personal Safety Division. Kristen, who is currently completing her Specialization in Organizational Policies and Ethics, always knew she wanted to work in business, but she wasn’t certain what that would look like exactly. When she first arrived at Huron, she had a wide variety of interests and engaged with courses across all areas of business: from finance to marketing, organization, logistics and everything between.

In her second year, she decided the best way to more specifically define what she wanted her career to look like, she would need to have a real-life taste of various areas available within a corporation. It didn’t take Kristen long to realize an internship would be the best-possible way to do this. Therefore, she applied for a number of positions and was over-the-moon when she received an offer of student employment from 3M Canada.

Kristen decided to pursue her curiosities about a career in marketing, while supporting the prestigious Canadian company’s promotion of personal safety products. The young businesswoman will be the first to tell you, this internship was not centred around fetching coffees or making copies. “My colleagues and Leadership Team ensured I had the opportunities to make meaningful contributions to our work environment, and the company more broadly,” Kristen says. “I feel confident I made a real impact while I was there because I have the portfolio, feedback and newfound knowledge to prove it.”

Not only did Kristen get to learn about marketing, but her team members were open to sharing their personal and professional journeys with her, so she could gain a better understanding of how to position herself for success moving forward. “My team exposed me to whatever I wanted to learn about,” she explains. “I met with people across the organization – from finance to operations – so I got a broader and deeper understanding of how a corporation is run, as well as where my passions lay.”

From taking ownership of a competitive analysis that has now been shared with 3M’s global partners through to benefitting from genuine mentorship, Kristen doesn’t hesitate to sing the praises of Huron’s internship program and the chance it gave her to build a portfolio that will distinguish her in the career marketplace moving forward. Plus, Kristen now feels more confident that she knows enough about the various roles her BMOS degree will prepare her for to make more strategic career choices.

So, what piece of advice does this bright young business Leader with Heart want to leave her fellow students with? “Don’t shy away if you feel a bit overwhelmed at first: Be open to anything you can and jump at any opportunities you have that will empower you to dive into the internship experience more deeply.”

Are you interested in developing a more fulsome understanding of where your talents and passions will flourish?  Talk to your Coordinator, Careers and Internships today and explore positions that will have a significant impact on your personal and professional growth.

Contact the Career Development Team to learn more about any of these internships!  Email Tasha Harvey, Tasha.Harvey@huron.uwo.ca, or call 519.438.7224 ext. 890.