Name: Eric Schmidt
Degree Program: MPA-MIS (Concentrating in Policy Analysis and Data Analysis)
Incoming Organization: MISO
Incoming Role: Intern at Standards and Assurance Department
Can you tell us a little about the internship and what you will be doing this coming summer?
The internship I accepted was for the Standards and Assurance Department at Midcontinent Independent System Operator or MISO. This summer I will be working with the Standards and Assurance department to gain real-world industry experience, as well as learn about the company and how it interacts with its partners and stakeholders to deliver power to over 45 million people.
What about this internship appealed to you and what made you say yes to the internship offer?
The internship appealed to me because it blends many of my professional interests together. At MISO I will have the opportunity to work in the energy industry, utilize my public affairs skillset and analyze data. This was important to me when finding an internship, as I wanted to have a position that is more quantitative, while still having the opportunity to work on public affairs related issues. The main reason why I said yes to the internship offer was because I felt that the people who I had the opportunity to speak with at MISO all had a similar enthusiasm and reflected values I find important in an employer.
How did you find your internship, and any tips for other students on how to start looking and land a summer internship?
I found this internship through recruiting in O’Neill. In my class ‘Energy Systems in Transition’ a MISO recruiter gave a presentation in class and made us aware of various career opportunities at MISO. Through this, I did more research on the company and eventually applied to various internships at MISO. I was connected to the Standards and Assurance department, and after researching the department I knew that MISO would be a good fit for me. Some tips I have for landing a summer internship is to use all the tools and resources available at IU and O’Neill. Searching LinkedIn, Handshake, etc., and keeping up to date with various events and opportunities through the career hub is a great way to know what opportunities are currently hiring.
What are you most looking forward to about your internship?
I am most looking forward to gaining valuable experience in the energy industry at MISO. At O’Neill you learn about lots of different career paths you can possibly pursue, and energy has always been an engaging and interesting topic for me. I am excited to apply what I have learned in the classroom to my position at MISO and learn even more along the way!
