Taking agribusiness-economics concepts out of the classroom and into a summer internship
Sept. 17, 2024
ABEM undergrad interns remotely with a leading business communications company
Antonio Rivalie, an undergraduate Agribusiness Economics & Management (ABEM) major, sought an opportunity in summer 2024 to intern with Intermedia Cloud Communications. Antonio worked remotely with the company that assisted him in gaining developmental skills and knowledge that guided him through the internship and beyond. Read about Antonio’s summer internship experience with a business communications company and how he was successful in utilizing agribusiness economics concepts!
Intermedia Cloud Communications has been a leading company since 1993 in providing cloud-based communication solutions to businesses and customers across the globe. Antonio explained, “The company prides itself on delivering secure, reliable, and scalable communication solutions that empower businesses to operate more efficiently and effectively.”
Antonio was supported by two individuals, Meghan Davis and Kelly Roeder, who “played pivotal roles” in his professional development. Antonio's manager, Davis, is Intermedia’s Senior Manager of Sales Operations, and Roeder, Antonio's mentor, is the Channel Sales Program Manager. Both individuals hold valuable expertise and roles in the company, which provided Antonio with a well-rounded experience.
He commented, “Throughout my time at Intermedia, I have come to appreciate the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence. The collaborative and supportive work environment has allowed me to develop my skills and contribute meaningfully to the team’s success.”
A typical day as a Sales Operations Intern involved a variety of tasks that support the efficiency and effectiveness goals of the sales teams. One primary project of Antonio’s was completing account merges in Salesforce, which involved identifying duplicate customer accounts, merging them, and double-checking all relevant data.
Another project that Antonio was heavily involved with was the launch of an AI-powered bot, called InterBot, which was designed to enhance sales operations for the company. This new mechanism for sales operations reduces the search time that a human sales representative may take while gathering quick and accurate information. Antonio was given the tasks of gathering information about the InterBot, testing its functionality, and presenting the new launch to various teams in the company.
Amongst other tasks that Antonio fulfilled such as data analysis, preparing reports, and assisting in developing sales strategies, he had the opportunity to present to the CEO, Michael Gold, and his team leads. After analyzing, refining, preparing, and rehearsing, Antonio effectively communicated the feedback and benefits discovered by InterBot to the company.
Antonio explained that he was exposed to several new concepts and techniques during his internship. These concepts and techniques that Antonio was able to adopt were not entirely new to his knowledge, as he explained that the majority of the concepts were discussed and taught in his Agribusiness and Economics courses.
Listed are concepts, theories, and principles that Antonio successfully applied to his internship from the agribusiness economics course curriculum:
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Data analysis; statistical analysis, data interpretation, and use of analytical tools
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Principles of customer relationship management
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Principles of project management; setting objectives, developing project plans, allocating resources, and monitoring progress
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Business communications; presentation skills, explanation of complex concepts, constructive feedback
Antonio explained further, “These experiences have reinforced the importance of integrating academic knowledge with practical applications, and I look forward to continuing to apply these principles in my future career.”
With Antonio’s determined effort and contribution to Intermedia’s team, he walked away from this internship with more than experience and professional knowledge, but with personal accomplishments. He mentioned, “Beyond technical skills, I developed strong time management and communication skills, balancing my internship with academic and personal pursuits.”
Antonio solidified his interest in pursuing a career in technology sales with a focus on AI technology. He finished with, “I look forward to applying the knowledge and skills gained during this internship to my future endeavors and am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead in the field of technology sales.”