Internship Chemistry (Intern Edition)
What is your idea of a typical internship environment? For me, this summer at Agile Rainmakers, I was fortunate to work in a supportive environment where I achieved my goals of building upon my communication, consulting, and professional skills and was also empowered by the strong bonds that I had formed with my manager, fellow interns, and clients.
Perhaps such a profound experience sparked the engineering major in me, and I instantly tapped into my chemistry knowledge and related the strong relationships I had built over the course of the summer to hydrogen and polar covalent bonds. Going with the flow, I felt that the chemistry of water molecules would be a fitting analogy for my summer internship takeaways.
Unbreakable Bonds, Both Internal and External
Similar to how the oxygen atom and hydrogen atoms in water molecules share electrons in polar covalent bonds, the Agile Rainmakers summer team experienced strong bonds internally that allowed us to withstand any challenges that went our way. With these strong bonds in place, we always experienced genuine camaraderie, which shined through when confidently collaborating with clients to deliver high-quality business consulting projects.
Furthermore, the team shared strong external bonds with our amazing clients, resembling the hydrogen bonds that form between adjacent water molecules. Through our meetings with senior management, the interns and I felt safe and supported to ask questions, share progress, and clearly communicate our thoughts, ideas, and any potential concerns, which allowed both parties to feel fulfilled from our interactions.
Some Attract, Some Repel
Similar to how different substances interact with water molecules in different ways—hydrophilic (water-loving) substances dissolve into water while hydrophobic (water-fearing) substances separate from the water—in life, there are some things that we feel particularly inclined towards and some that may not speak to us as much as others.
With eight client projects this summer, I found it interesting to see each intern gravitate towards different industries, skill sets, and project styles. Such an eclectic mix of projects allowed the interns to explore what we each truly enjoy working on and taught us that we can stick to our strengths while still discovering new interests and stepping outside our comfort zones.
Highs and Lows, Upward Trajectory
Similar to how a water molecule’s partial negative and partial positive charges balance out to a net neutral charge, in life, and in business, we all experience highs and lows, though with a positive and flexible mindset, the two typically balance out, and the lows can be leveraged to lead to more highs in the future.
While our internship was fortunately smooth sailing for the most part, there were still moments where the team felt that progress came differently than expected or that efforts did not translate into everything that we had hoped. Nonetheless, acknowledging these “lows” propelled us to constantly improve and proudly complete an internship where the highs overwhelmingly exceeded the lows, and the lows led to higher highs.
Gallons of Gratitude
Lastly, just as water is an excellent solvent, I am looking forward to continuing to apply and build upon the teamwork, problem-solving skills and business knowledge I have gained at Agile Rainmakers to all facets of my life. As I continue to learn and grow, I will undoubtedly hold onto the meaningful memories I have been fortunate enough to experience these past few months and be forever grateful for this opportunity and the people I have met along the way.
- E.H.
Here's to you and your awesome future.
Until then, keep your feet on the board and keep riding your wave!
Robert J. Khoury
CEO Agile Rainmakers