Name: Ryan Farley

Year: Junior

Major: Environmental Science

Minor: Economics and ISEN Certificate

CFS Class: Business Field Studies

Employer: Feeding America

I was a Human Resources intern with Feeding America, the fourth largest non-profit in the country, for 12 weeks during my summer CFS course. With this internship, I took the CFS Business studies course which was a nice companion to the work I did throughout my internship. 

I landed this internship on my own, using personal connections, however I appreciated the help and the resources the CFS staff were able to provide throughout this process. They were always working in my best interest to help me find an internship and best prepare for interviews, both remote and in person.

As for the class, it paired effectively with my internship to enhance my experience. It was enjoyable to meet once a week with peers in different industries, but who were doing similar work, to hear about their internship experiences and the different challenges and successes they were having throughout their time at their company or organization. It was very interesting to discuss current events effecting the business arena and hearing how they might affect each of the industries we were working in. 

One aspect I would highlight in particular is the networking assignment we were given at the beginning of the quarter to complete. In it, we had to network with four people from either within or outside of our organization or industry. I really appreciated this assignment as it gave me the opportunity and excuse to reach out to people higher in my organization that I otherwise would not have got the opportunity to meet, share a conversation with, and expand my professional network. 

All considered, the CFS program is a great opportunity to jump start one’s career with an internship and the infrastructure around it to ensure success. I would recommend this program to my colleagues here at Northwestern.