Federal Reserve Bank Internship Leads to Full-time Job for Business Student

Senior year is a stressful time for many undergraduate students. Completing an internship, making connections and finding a job can be overwhelming. Luckily for Hannah McEnery, a recent graduate from SLU’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, securing a job was the least of her worries.

While studying finance and marketing, McEnery discovered an internship program at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis through the Chaifetz School's Valerie A. Davisson Career Resources Center. The internship experience provided McEnery experience managing business relationships in the St. Louis Fed's Information Technology Services Department, allowing room for growth.

McEnery organized equipment pickups, assisted the Technology Asset Management Team and coordinated technical trainings with internal resources and outside vendors. She presented and instructed on the district’s new data classification policy that impacted over 1,500 employees, helping her hone her ability to communicate effectively.

“After completing her first data classification training, on her own accord, Hannah reached out to the Information Security Manager to see what adjustments she should make. That same manager expressed how impressed he was with Hannah. I told him that she impresses me all the time,” said McEnery's internship supervisor.

Having technical skills to further her career, McEnery left a lasting impression on the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis. Her strong work ethic and willingness to learn exceeded her supervisor's expectations and she returned year after year to the St. Louis Fed, just 2 miles down the street from campus, to take advantage of new opportunities to gain real-world experience. That paid off. 

“After interning for 4 years, I was awarded a full-time position almost a year before graduation, making senior year more fun and stress-free,” McEnery said.

Blending her Chaifetz School of Business education with the skills acquired through her internship, McEnery applies these new proficiencies to her current full-time role as an Analyst on the Business Strategy and Planning Team in the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' ITS Department. Her education and pre-graduation work experience has allowed her to confidently take on the latest responsibilities of her new professional position. 

“SLU and the Chaifetz School of Business laid the foundation for me to prove myself as poised, polished and professional in my internship. I learned the business world does not have to be cut-throat and that being ‘men and women for others’ helps gain the respect and appreciation of those you work with," McEnery concluded.

More than 85% of the Chaifetz School's graduating class of 2018 completed an internship like Hannah's before graduation. For more information on how to land an internship, build your resume or develop in your career journey, contact the Valerie A. Davisson Career Resources Center in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business.