Penn State DuBois business students present on internship experiences

DuBOIS, Pa. — On Friday, Aug. 15, five business students at Penn State DuBois gave presentations on their experiences within internships that they completed during the summer. Zayne Knight, Garret Park, Madison Rhine, Meridith Selby and Cole Slaugenhoup each shared details of their internships with the campus community.

Knight completed his internship with the Brookville Area Chamber of Commerce, focusing on marketing and community outreach.

During the internship, Knight worked on several major projects aimed at expanding the chamber’s reach to both native audiences and groups outside of its immediate area. Key responsibilities included creating press releases, developing marketing content, and producing the chamber’s weekly newsletter, a project Knight especially enjoyed.

Knight also faced and overcame several challenges throughout the experience, including learning to balance creativity with professionalism in marketing materials, strengthening interpersonal skills when engaging with vendors and community members, and tailoring content for different audiences across platforms. Through research, mentorship, and practice, Knight successfully developed stronger communication, creative writing, and outreach abilities.

Looking ahead, Knight’s immediate goal is to complete a degree and begin a professional career. Long term, Knight aspires to work in a role that supports organizational and community growth through strategic planning, relationship building, and outreach. The internship provided valuable insights into how local businesses and organizations operate, while also sharpening skills in communication, organization, problem-solving, and collaboration, all of which will be assets in any future career path.

Park completed his internship with the Cummings Law Firm in Clearfield, gaining firsthand experience in daily legal operations and courtroom preparation.

Park’s responsibilities included legal research, drafting pleadings and complaints, reviewing case evidence, and assisting with trial preparation. He also worked on a daily summer packet, reviewed Superior Court briefs, and participated in a mock trial exercise. Specific projects included drafting legal memorandums, developing an easement flowchart, and contributing to a guide on understanding legal entities.

The internship was not without challenges. Park said he had to adjust to learning new tasks quickly, staying organized while managing multiple assignments, and developing stronger time management skills. He also recognized the importance of asking for help when needed.

In the future, Park plans to complete his undergraduate degree before attending law school. His long-term goals include graduating from law school, securing connections in the legal field, and pursuing a career as a corporate lawyer serving large businesses. He said the internship confirmed his passion for law, provided valuable professional experience, and strengthened his law school applications through additional recommendations.

Rhine gained hands-on experience in the financial side of large-scale infrastructure projects during an internship with Shikun & Binui USA Concessions in Pittsburgh.

Rhine worked as a financial analyst in the company’s concessions group, which handles the design, financing, operation and long-term management of infrastructure projects when public agencies cannot fully fund them. She gained exposure to projects such as express lanes, where revenues are generated through tolling and dynamic pricing strategies. Her responsibilities included supporting the team through research, attending multiple daily meetings, creating charts and graphs, and contributing input on financial, contractual, and traffic and revenue matters. She also worked on memos and data analysis to help improve company efficiency.

Rhine faced challenges in clarifying responsibilities early on and navigating large contracts but overcame them by asking more questions and developing strategies to identify key information more efficiently. Key takeaways from the experience included a deeper understanding of concession projects, improved time management, and stronger professional skills such as teamwork and proactive communication.

Looking at the future, Rhine plans to continue building her knowledge in business, finance and accounting through her coursework. She hopes to pursue a career in finance or accounting, with opportunities in financial analysis within the concessions industry. She said the internship gave her confidence in her strengths and helped her see possible career paths moving forward.

Selby completed an internship with Penn Highlands Healthcare, where she contributed to operational support, staff management, and practice management initiatives.

Selby’s responsibilities included shadowing managers, participating in staff meetings, auditing registration compliance, and assisting with scheduling and communications. She also played a role in testing the Cerner system and supporting day-to-day clinic operations.

Her key assignments included completing more than 120 registration audits, training staff on the Tonic system, updating orientation materials, and identifying solutions to improve surgery scheduling workflows. Selby also created weekly communications for clinics and managers. The centerpiece of her internship was the central registration project, which aimed to consolidate patient check-in into a single streamlined process. She coordinated logistics, trained staff on new tools, and collaborated with stakeholders, though the project was postponed until 2026 due to a system transition.

Selby faced challenges such as staff resistance and scheduling errors, but she addressed concerns through communication, proposed new tracking systems, and adapted when projects were delayed. She applied coursework in management, human resources, project planning, and leadership to successfully navigate these responsibilities.

Her internship clarified her career goals, giving her confidence to pursue a short-term role in population health at Penn Highlands while working toward her long-term ambition of becoming a clinic manager or health care operations director. She said the experience strengthened her leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills while confirming her interest in the health care field.

Slaugenhoup explored the fiscal and accounting side of business operations during his internship at Blake Brothers Carpet & Furniture in Clarion.

Slaugenhoup worked in the company’s accounting department, where he handled daily financial responsibilities such as entering vendor invoices, monitoring credit card transactions, preparing management reports, and processing monthly commission totals. He also tracked inventory, ordered stock, and monitored shipments to ensure accuracy.

Among his key contributions, Slaugenhoup compiled daily sales into QuickBooks for financial tracking, reconciled accounts to confirm payment accuracy, and prepared end-of-month statements including budgets and profit-and-loss reports. His work supported the company’s financial stability and performance assessments.

Like many interns, Slaugenhoup encountered challenges, including maintaining accuracy under pressure, managing multiple tasks at once, adapting to software systems, and ensuring effective communication across teams. These experiences strengthened his attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and time management skills.

Moving forward, Slaugenhoup said his internship clarified his interest in finance and accounting. He plans to pursue a full-time role in the field while also exploring opportunities in real estate. He credited the experience with helping him build practical skills in QuickBooks, financial reporting, inventory management, and professional communication.