CSC Interns Get Head Start

Through real projects and hands-on experience, CSC’s summer internship program has been offering students a career head start since 2011. It’s no wonder more than 1,500 applicants sought one of 55 coveted positions for the summer of 2021.

The program allows CSC to invest in new talent and showcase the company’s culture and values. While most of the interns worked from home because of the pandemic, they still received the dynamic experience the program is known for. Interns like Abby Massih, Brandon Wallace, Brett Nilsen, and Tim Becker got to experience life at CSC during their 10 weeks with the company.

Experience

A cornerstone of the program is making sure participants leave with applicable work experience. Interns support teams across business units and departments, working on projects that are both unique and challenging.

Abby, a junior at the University of South Carolina, initially thought she’d “just be doing busywork, but that’s not how it played out at all.” Her leaders in CSC Digital Brand Services immediately grasped that Abby, a supply chain and marketing major with a concentration in data analytics, would be an asset. “They had me doing things that an intern wouldn’t usually do. One of my original projects was creating a vendor scorecard. We created a centralized database for all the vendor information,” says Abby. “I feel like I made a difference with a huge company.”

“Being able to use what I learned in school has been the most rewarding thing so far,” she says. “I could see where some of these things that I learned could apply in a corporate setting.”

A computer science major who will graduate from the University of Maryland after the fall semester, Tim worked as a financial technology intern over the summer in his first-ever internship. He, too, was thrilled to make a meaningful difference. “I’ve contributed to code and work that’s being used by customers and other members of our team,” says Tim.

Networking

Growing their professional network is another highlight for many of the interns. Throughout the program, CSC hosts a variety of networking events. These events, including Coffee and Conversations, lunches, and more, encourage and empower interns to build connections with each other and those already in their desired field.

Brandon graduated from Wilmington University in Delaware in January, where he majored in computer and network security, with a minor in digital forensics. He worked with the Risk and Compliance Team. “I really enjoyed learning from different professionals,” he says. “I’ve talked to many people whom I didn’t think I’d be able to talk to. I even met our new CIO, Mark Eggleston.” Brandon says the internship really opened his eyes about the different aspects of cyber security.

Abby says her favorite experience was attending a Diversity and Belonging seminar and meeting Shana Hilliard, who runs the program. “I got to talk with Shana about things I’ve had issues with at school,” she says. “She gave me helpful ideas I could use within my organizations.”

“It’s not like you’re coming in and just doing the work,” adds Abby. “Everyone I worked with wanted me to get involved and see the other opportunities within CSC.”

Company Culture

CSC interns also get a glimpse into work-life culture. They’re able to experience the values lived daily by other employees, which makes CSC unique.

Brett worked on the Fund Administration Team with CSC’s Global Financial Markets business. He graduated early from the University of South Carolina, where he studied finance and business management, with a minor in psychology. “Everyone’s been extremely welcoming and I’ve had great mentors,” he raves.

“You hear so much about how CSC is really an anomaly of a company,” says Brett. “There aren’t many companies like it, with so many friendly people and a well-defined culture that’s promoted internally throughout the entire business at every level. It’s been refreshing getting that experience this early in my career.”

Tim says his leader and co-workers have asked about school, what he likes to do there, and his plans after graduation. “They’re really focusing me toward the career aspect. It’s been a lot to get used to, the real work lifestyle,” he says. “It’s been really eye-opening to see the work the team is doing.”

Giving back to the community

Besides providing meaningful professional experience, the internship program emphasizes the importance of giving back. Part of CSC’s purpose is to create an environment in which its communities will be better off tomorrow than they are today.

Interns work on a charitable team project and make a presentation about their efforts to leadership at the end of the program. The organizations this year’s interns helped were Kind to Kids, Feeding America, B+ Foundation, American Heart Association, and Special Olympics. The interns spread awareness about each group and raised funds for them through profit-sharing from local restaurants, 50-50 raffles, and a food drive at CSC headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.

It’s through programs such as these that CSC can develop the talent of tomorrow. An internship can launch a lifetime of learning opportunities.