A Signature Internship

Recent MSBA graduate Maoyin Zhang was looking for a pathway to a field that best fit her future. It’s a journey that began during her junior year as an exchange student at UofL—getting a chance to see the program firsthand made a lasting impact, ultimately shaping her decision to come back to Louisville for grad school. “I chose the MSBA degree because this is a prospective field where I can see myself grow,” says Maoyin. According to Digital Marketer Elijah Humble, that potential was apparent from day one of her internship at the College of Business. 

“Literally overnight, Maoyin showed that she was going to be far more than an intern, but more like an important full-time member of our team,” says Humble. “She had the type of work ethic and determination that gave us a lot of confidence that she could work unsupervised and continue to produce solutions and high-quality work. [Maoyin] consistently over-delivered on her projects, provided flexible options, and found new ways to get the job done.”

Maoyin Zhang recently accepted a position with Signature HealthCARE as a business intelligence analyst. We sat with her to discuss her time as an intern at the College of Business.

Tell us about your internship experience with the marketing team. What were your primary duties and responsibilities during the internship?

I was a data analyst intern, responsible for implementing data cleaning/extraction and developing a real-time dashboard to reflect marketing metrics—working with the team to evaluate our marketing initiatives and aid in the report-to-leadership process. I loved working with such a talented bunch of people who inspired me to thrive.

What was your favorite part of the internship?

During my internship with the marketing team, I made extensive use of the abilities I had learned in my MSBA classes. My favorite aspect of this internship was learning to address real-world business challenges using professional approaches like data cleaning/visualization and soft skills such as effectively presenting your analysis conclusions.

The MSBA is a cohort model and requires working on team projects and presentations. What was the most challenging part of the experience? 

We completed various group projects throughout the program, including the COB Marketing Analytics capstone project, the Kentucky Food Security Project, the New Alliance Bank Fraudulent Prediction, and others. Collaboration and communication are undoubtedly the most challenging as well as essential aspects of a group project. I’m glad my team was always supportive of one another—and I’m also proud of the team. Because of our cooperation, we were able to take first place in the case competition for our fraudulent prediction case.

Who do you see as your mentors at UofL? How did these people support and help you learn and grow in the MSBA?

All the professors and instructors are very knowledgeable and responsive, and I really appreciated their help during my MSBA journey. Dr. Sandeep Goyal, whose class is absolutely one of my favorites, has given me a lot of guidance and encouragement. Sharon Handy, my supervisor on the marketing team, is also an important mentor to me for sure. She is professional, caring, and supportive, making my whole internship experience smooth and enjoyable. 

What advice would you give potential students looking to join UofL’s MSBA program?

I just want to say GO FOR IT! The UofL MSBA program will be an unforgettable experience that will help you advance your career and personal life. I’m happy I made the choice a year ago since I can already see how quickly and significantly I’ve grown.

What advice would you give grad students about the internship program?

One of our program’s standout characteristics is the internship opportunity, which enables you to apply what you learn in class in the real world while preparing you for a successful future after graduation. Meanwhile, I would also suggest taking advantage of the social events offered as part of the program to facilitate networking among graduate students. It’s a great opportunity—for you can both share and hear experiences.