What did you do in your intern role?
I interned at H-E-B for three summers during my college career. My first internship was with the Grocery Procurement team focused on how to optimize merchandising space and reduce complexity within the trash bag set given the varying rules around waste management across Texas. My second internship was in HR focused on support management and meeting with company leaders to work through back-to-office plans post-COVID. My third summer was spent back in Grocery Procurement deep-diving into the growing category of hard seltzers and flavored malt beverages. We needed to understand who the customer was and determine the best merchandising strategy to grow the business. All of my internships centered around these large projects. I also had opportunities to learn about H-E-B as a whole through coffee chats with leaders, store visits, warehouse visits, and connects with many different teams.
Biggest lesson you learned or ways you grew from this internship?
The best lesson I learned during my internships was to make it easy for people to help you. Everyone is busy and has a lot on their plate, always come with your research done before asking for help or advice. It makes it much easier for that person to help you and you get more specific feedback. It shows that you have been thinking critically about a problem and have solutions in progress versus coming empty-handed and asking for an answer. I still utilize this learning whenever I go to my leaders for support today.
How did the Canfield Business Honors program help you in your internship with H-E-B?
My Canfield BHP classes prepared me so well for my internships. BA324 and Dr. Pryor taught me the importance of concise and clear communication. It’s a skill I still continuously work on daily. E-mail and written communication are so prevalent in the workplace; your ability to communicate makes the difference between a quick-fix or a 10-email exchange. Canfield BHP also taught me how to approach problems with a sense of curiosity and innovative thinking versus just completing a task. Fresh ideas are always welcome; we shouldn’t shy away from offering a different perspective when working on a solution.
What is your role now? How did your internship help set you on the path to where you are today?
I joined H-E-B full-time right after graduating. I started as an eCommerce Business Manager helping to drive sales and customer engagement on our online platform through digital merchandising. I had the best first team I could’ve asked for, with an awesome leader and great teammates with whom I am still close today. Most recently, I have been working on the Procurement side as a Promotional Strategy Manager where I help curate our promotional strategies for the Grocery department and facilitate the amplification of our promotional package across different business channels. I get to work with a lot of different teams across the company which has helped me develop a deeper understanding of all the nuances of our business.
My internships helped me get a taste of what working for H-E-B would be like. H-E-B does an awesome job of giving interns business-critical projects to work on that truly lead to change and impact in the organization. I have seen some of my project work from my internships implemented and it is deeply fulfilling to know that my work made a difference in the business. My intern projects definitely prepared me for how to approach and work through the projects I have taken on in my full-time roles.
Anything else you want to share with students about your experience at H-E-B?
There’s a reason why so many partners at H-E-B have been at the company for 10, 20, and 30+ years; H-E-B cares deeply about their partners and makes a concentrated effort to show people they are valued. I still keep in touch with many of the leaders I worked with during my internships, and one has even turned into a primary mentor of mine. I’m really grateful to get to work for a company that places so much value on fostering strong relationships and a great work culture.
I also love working for H-E-B because they truly believe in growing their partners holistically and allowing you to gain experience in as many different areas as you are interested. I graduated with my Canfield BHP degree and an accounting degree, yet my full-time roles have been in digital merchandising and promotional strategy. I wasn’t limited to what my degrees were and I’ve enjoyed being able to gain more knowledge about so many different business areas.