Through their University connections and top-notch academic credentials, Mercer University students have made a habit of securing competitive summer internships. This year, students traveled across the United States and even abroad to work with big-name companies, where they gained practical experience in their field of study.
A Mercer connection opened the door for rising senior Shaw London to intern at Axogen in Tampa, Florida. A biomedical engineering major, he heard 2005 School of Engineering alumna Stacy Arnold, Axogen vice president of product development and clinical research, speak during a biotechnology forum that Mercer hosted in fall 2023. London became interested in Axogen and later reached out to Arnold.
“That (Mercer connection) was one of the biggest assets going in for me with the internship. I have a pretty strong resume as it is, but applying to internships in engineering is very competitive,” London said.
London said Axogen’s mission to help patients with peripheral nerve damage restore feeling made him want to work with the company.
“It really spoke to me how patient-oriented they are,” said London, whose last day in-office at Axogen is Aug. 12 but will continue working with the company remotely until at least December. “Being a biotech company, it’s really easy to try and grow the company while forgetting about their mission, but their mission is at the forefront of everything they do.”
London is part of the clinical science team under the clinical research department, which is in charge of preclinical and clinical studies for Axogen products. The main project he was involved in this summer was a study for a nerve cap for neuroma, which occurs when a severed nerve has no direction to grow. This work involved a lot of data analysis.
“It’s really interesting to see that side of research. I’ve been in biology labs before doing the hard labor, so it’s interesting to see the behind the scenes (of analysis),” he said.
London said he loves the environment at Axogen. The people he works with are supportive and enthusiastic about helping him learn.
He said his experiences with Food and Drug Administration protocols and data analysis will be beneficial as he tackles his Mercer senior design project during the upcoming academic year. His team is trying to make a spine implant that could potentially go on the market for a company. In addition, his time with Axogen will help him decide his next steps after graduation, whether that is pursuing a master’s degree or going straight into the workforce.
“Building the connections with Axogen could help launch a career into biotech for me,” he said.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity from Axogen, and I’m very happy to get to work on their team and be able to help propel my future endeavors.”
Rising senior Dejun (Derek) Kong, an economics major, was a digital and technology consulting intern with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, or PwC, in Shanghai. PwC is among the four largest professional services networks in the world, with the others being Deloitte, EY and KPMG.
Kong believes that his internship with KPMG last year gave him a competitive edge for the PwC internship, which wrapped up Aug. 9. In addition to real-world experience, the internship allowed Kong to spend time with his grandparents and friends who live in Shanghai.
Kong worked on an information planning and digital transformation project for a well-known North American oil company and assisted in the implementation of SAP — Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing — vendor-managed services. He also managed data quality evaluations for a leading Chinese solar energy company.
“I got my first experience with consulting and applied what I learned in my classes to solve real-life problems,” said Kong, who plans to go to graduate school for business analytics after completing his undergraduate degree. “The experience with the projects can help me understand the field a lot quicker. It also opens up the door for many future opportunities.”
On Aug. 2, Jay Sanchez concluded a cybersecurity internship with life insurance company Equitable in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. Sanchez is a cybersecurity and information science and technology double-major who will graduate in December.
He said a Mercer class on network security gave him a good foundation for his work this summer with the security architecture and engineering team. He learned how to set up firewall policies and helped implement and maintain security measures.
“I like the opportunity, all the hands-on experience. I like that I get to do what I studied for,” Sanchez said during his internship. “This has given me the opportunity to learn more. I’m really interested in technology and how things work and why they work, all the details, and I’m passionate about security too.”
Charlotte also was the summer home for rising senior Shannon Dougherty, a triple-major in finance, economics and accounting. On Aug. 9, she completed a 10-week internship in the chief finance office of Bank of America.
Dougherty, a Stamps Scholar, learned about the opportunity from Mercer alumni Emily Smith and Lindy Kanaday, who now work at the bank. She applied for the internship in July 2023, participated in an extensive three-round interview process, and learned of her acceptance in November.
“Right now, we’re doing a lot of forecasting and financial modeling for different groups. It’s been cool to apply what we learned in class and see how it works in a corporate setting,” she said during her internship. “Sometimes in school, it’s the big question of, ‘How will this apply to the corporate setting?’ It’s been cool being part of meaningful projects.”
Dougherty had the opportunity to network with longtime employees and gain exposure to many different types of software.
The internship could lead Dougherty to full-time work with Bank of America, which she is interested in. Interns are normally invited to join the two-year Financial Management Analyst Program with Bank of America after they graduate. They rotate through two areas of the company during those two years and then are offered full-time positions.
Dougherty said it’s never too early for Mercer students to start thinking about internships and career opportunities. The timeline for applying for the Bank of America internship was early, and School of Business Dean Dr. Julie Petherbridge and professor Dr. Jeff Ngene provided guidance and helped her navigate the process.
“Don’t let that fear of not knowing stop you from having those conversations,” Dougherty said. “It’s always worth trying and having those conversations with your mentors and professors. There’s a lot of people willing to help. You have to advocate for yourself and let them know you’re interested.”
