Winter internship with car dealership prepares management major for career in human resources

Through sheer intrigue, Lauryn Male was gifted with an amazing real-world experience she hopes will help launch her career in human resources. Her curiosity in working at Brown-Daub Dealerships in Hecktown, near Bethlehem, gifted her with clarity of knowing she wants to pursue an HR job after graduation. 

Male said she was fully confident heading into her internship experience because of Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg.

“The subjects I studied — human resources, employee staffing, and employee discrimination — became particularly relevant during my internship,” Male said. “I consistently encountered instances where the laws and principles I learned in these courses were applicable. Thus, allowing me to reflect on and apply the knowledge acquired in my previous classes.”

Learning the dynamic nature of the human resources field and learning the importance of being prepared for the unexpected is Male’s biggest takeaway. Bloomsburg’s business management program was the best source of preparation for her leading up to this internship, she added.

“Programs like ZIPD, have been really helpful for my growth from a student to a professional,” Male said. “Each and every professor has shaped me into the student I am today. I especially can’t thank the majority of staff who have taken the time to get to know and help me.”

Male chose to do her internship over the winter break instead of the typical summer period to get more comfortable with the area she will soon be living in. Taking a step further to get work experience in her future community was important to her.

“Opting to complete my internship in the winter, was a deliberate choice,” Male said. “Considering that this location will be my post-grad residence, I preferred gaining work experience in a nearby and familiar environment.”

Making the transition from a student to a working professional is the importance of getting an internship experience.

“This internship tied directly into my management major and human resource minor,” Male said. “I got to work with their HR director, Karen, each and every day. I was able to watch and grow from her. I plan on fulfilling an HR role post-grad.”