From Campus to Career: Five Binghamton Students on Their Internship Experiences
Each year, Binghamton students take what they've learned on campus and put it to work in internships across the country — many of them made possible through the connections and preparation the University provides. This year, five students reflect on how their time at Binghamton — from student organizations to coursework to support from the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development — helped them land and succeed in roles at PwC, InStyle/People Inc., a congressional office in Washington, D.C., Dick's Sporting Goods, and Tarte Cosmetics.
Alex Kim — PwC
"One of the biggest contributors to landing and succeeding in this internship was actually my involvement with the Korean American Student Association (KASA)," Kim said. "It taught me a lot of the same skills you need to flourish in a high-stakes environment like PwC, such as proactiveness and making sense of ambiguity, and I referenced that experience consistently in interviews." At PwC, he led a project building an AI-based tool aimed at cutting down training times for new associates. Kim will return to the same team next summer.
Grace Scollo — InStyle/People Inc.
"My experiences at Binghamton played a huge role in helping me discover and pursue my passion for commerce editorial," Scollo said. As an English major, Scollo has built a foundation in writing and storytelling, and her work with Harpur Edge gave her hands-on editorial experience and content creation. “My internship with InStyle has really confirmed that commerce editorial is the career path I want to pursue. I’ve loved being able to combine my passion for writing and storytelling with my interests in fashion, beauty, shopping, and consumer behavior.”
Nina Thomas — Congressional Intern, Office of Rep. Tom Suozzi
"This past summer, I had the privilege of serving as a congressional intern for Congressman Tom Suozzi in Washington, D.C.," Thomas said. Thomas adds, “This opportunity showed me how much my experiences at Binghamton prepared me for the professional world.” In her first year, Thomas was a part of Binghamton’s SOURCE Project research program (climate justice stream), which strengthened her interest in environmental policy. “ I am grateful for the experiences and communities at Binghamton that helped prepare me for this opportunity and gave me the confidence to pursue it.”
Santiago Perez — Dick's Sporting Goods
"When interviewing for my internship I was able to talk about experiences in case competitions as well as coursework to demonstrate the ability to solve real world problems analytically and creatively," Perez said. The School of Management connected him with resume-building resources, LinkedIn sessions and a mentor early on. He also credits CDCI 200 Career Exploration Course with “forcing me out of my shell” and getting him to professional events. That course led him to the Office of Student Transition and Success, where he has worked in the Speaking Center for five semesters. Perez has been an in-store associate at Dick's Sporting Goods for three years and has been offered a full-time position in its Corporate Merchandising Training Program. He hopes to build a career in merchandising as a buyer.
Vicki Lin — Tarte Cosmetics
"Binghamton helped prepare me for my internship by giving me opportunities to build meaningful professional experience," Lin said. Her time with the Harpur Law Council gave her legal and professional skills she carried into her role at Tart. Lin adds, “The Fleishman Center also played an important role in helping me strengthen and organize my resume and prepare for the application and interview process." Lin hopes to pursue a career as an in-house attorney, ideally in the entertainment or another creative industry.
From Capitol Hill to the beauty industry, these five students show how a Binghamton education travels well beyond campus — turning classroom experience, student involvement, and career preparation into real opportunity.
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