Keely Smith '22

What are some skills/competencies (NACE) that you developed during your internship?

During my internship, I worked on my critical thinking and analytical skills by developing progress and deal reports to send to the company. I also learned more about the dynamics of a working environment, specifically the with the interactions between potential investors, new clients, and my company, which connects the two. There are different aspects of an investor deal that I was not previously aware of, especially the negotiating process and proper etiquette regarding NDAs and confidentiality between us and our clients. I learned valuable presenting skills as well while presenting weekly progress reports to my team.

How does this experience connect to your future career goals?

I’m really interested in biology, specifically the business-side of the Biotech field. This was the perfect gateway into this field because most of the deals we were working on were raising funds for developmental drugs and clinical trials for biotech companies in Boston. I was able to be around biology and listen to pitches on new drugs, while maintaining a business focus, which I really enjoyed.

What advice would you give to other Holy Cross students?

I would really emphasize the importance of being open to all projects- big or small. There were a few times throughout the summer where I was assigned a project that I didn’t have interest in, or that I didn’t think I would be necessarily “good” at, but these were some of the most valuable and interesting projects I did. Internships are all about figuring out what you like and don’t like, so having an open mind is really important.