Academics

PNC Bank internship provides finance student experience in banking industry

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Elizabeth Bravacos, a senior finance major in the Penn State Smeal College of Business, spent her summer as an intern in the Finance and Accounting Internship Program at PNC Bank in Pittsburgh.

“I heard about the program from friends who had participated, and I liked the fact that the bank had an established program for interns,” said Bravacos.

Once she identified the opportunity, Bravacos used SmealConnect to submit her application for the internship and attended career fairs to connect with representatives from PNC Bank.

In addition, she used both the Smeal Career and Corporate Connections office and University career services resources to polish her resume and prepare for the interview process.

During the 10-week internship program, Bravacos said she was assigned real projects through which she was able to make a tangible contribution to the workplace. She also participated in an intern project, the results of which she and her teammates presented to the leadership team — including the chief financial officer.

“Through my assignments, I was able to learn a lot about the bank and what it offers,” Bravacos said. “And the time that managers gave us to network and provide us career advice really stood out to me as well. In the second week, the general auditor came to a networking breakfast; she talked candidly to us about what we could expect in a full-time job and provided advice on how to move up in an organization.”

Bravacos said that her experience as a Smeal student helped prepare her for the real-world work environment she experienced as a PNC Bank intern.

“I felt so well-prepared going into this position,” she said. “I feel so lucky to be a Smeal student; the college really helps prepare us for things like writing business emails, talking to professionals and having the confidence to ask questions.”

PNC Bank is a Smeal Corporate Associate. The Corporate Associates Program allows companies to increase their visibility at Smeal and provides opportunities to tap into the broader resources of the college and the University. There are currently 25 companies in the program. For more information and a full list of corporate associates, visit www.smeal.psu.edu/corp.

Last Updated September 23, 2014

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