April is recognized as National Internship Awareness Month. Throughout the month, CSCR is sharing tips and information to highlight the benefits of internships and the opportunities they provide to students. Hear from Ryan Battista, a supply chain & information systems junior at Smeal College of Business, about his experiences and advice regarding internships. 
Describe your internship. What was it at and what were your main responsibilities?
Company: US Steel
Role: Raw Material Procurement Intern
My role was to assist my manager and mentee with daily calls with our suppliers, distributors, and internal manufacturers as well as market analysis for our raw materials. Various projects included selling excess raw material inventory to international buyer, renegotiating contract with railroad company, and submitting request for proposal for a supply commodity.
What were some of the key takeaways you learned from your experience?
- Being able to effectively communicate internally and externally with the companies
- Being able to handle responsibility of multi-million dollar supply items
- Negotiating exposure and supplier cost analysis practice
What is your top tip for supply chain students looking for or engaging in internships?
Look for internships that will challenge you by being put in situations outside your comfort zones because that’s where you will grow the most. And to try to find companies that value learning and employee growth.