Student Internship Spotlight: Agnes-Laure Signou
Class of 2024
Major:
Internship:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Duration:
Four months
Location:
Washington, D.C.
How did Marymount help you secure this internship?
I was connected to this internship through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), which had a booth at a Marymount job fair. HACU got my résumé in front of the right people and connected me to this opportunity. My résumé was picked up because it had been well vetted by Marymount’s Center for Career Development. They helped me with interview prep, résumé writing and ensuring I was looking in the right places.
What was your biggest takeaway from this experience?
I actually learned about the sort of work I don’t want to do. People often think that it’s a waste of time if you didn’t enjoy the work, but the reality is that this internship gave me a lot of clarity on the type of work I’d like to do in the future. I spent time organizing and building new systems of processes, but I felt I had more to offer. Now I know I’d like to work more on the people side of things, managing and helping care for the people in a company. That insight is invaluable, so I was hugely grateful for that!
What is your advice to students looking for internships?
Apply, apply, apply. Take advantage of Marymount’s huge network and resources like the Center for Career Development. When you enter the working world, those things aren’t free anymore — so use them while you have them! Also, don’t underestimate the power of an informational interview. Find the people with the jobs you want or at the company you want to work for, and ask if you can learn more about what they do. Even if they don’t have a job for you, they might know someone who does! So take advantage of every opportunity to learn more about the type of work you want and how to get there.
