When I began the search for an internship, I thought I had a good idea of what I was looking for. My thought process was: I am a finance major, so I should work at a bank or in financial management firm, a real world setting where I could apply the skills I gathered in the classroom. I had a conceived notion of where I belonged and what I was meant to do based on what I studied in school. When a fellow Terp mentioned the possibility of working for an engineering firm with my academic background I immediately dismissed the idea. As a finance major, when you think of an engineering firm you envision yourself filing paperwork, creating Excel sheets, and other typical intern duties that no one else wants to do. I will not lie and say that I never did the typical things, but my internship consisted of more.

In my role as a business development intern I was able to not only watch, but also be a part of the growth that was occurring at Newton. One of the benefits of working for a small firm is the range of opportunities that exist. The nature of the work was extremely open-ended which was both a pro and con. This required that my attitude towards things would have to change, I was no longer just a Finance major; ultimately, that minor detail did not define the nature of the work that I did. Joining Newton I became a member of a diverse team where each member brought a different skill, viewpoint, and even a cultural dish to the table. The culture of Newton is one that encourages innovation and is unparalleled.

Overall, at the end of the day, an internship is an internship. What makes an organization different from the rest is, as cliché as it may sound, the people. The truth of the matter is that Newton cares about its people and it is what makes you want to get up every morning. You are willing take on the challenges that you may face because you know that you will not be facing them alone. Even as an intern, management has made me feel like my voice can be heard, and that I do have a place within Newton. If I have taken anything away from Newton it is that I should always be ready to Get Geared.

Bridget is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. She will graduate December 20, 2017 with a B.S. in Finance, minoring in US Latino Studies.