Both Evan Holm '23 and Stew Hutchinson '23 spent their summers immersed in the workplace culture of eBay, putting their liberal arts experiences to work while learning first-hand how a finance organization works at a major global company.
To get there, they leaned on the mentorship and advice of Laurentians from across generations. They shared some insight on their daily tasks, favorite projects, and what they'll take with them in the next stages of their careers.
Evan Holm '23
Major/Minor: Environmental Studies and Economics combined major, Statistics minor
Hometown: West Granby, Connecticut
Internship: Finance Intern at eBay in San Jose, California
What is an average day at eBay like for you?
Each finance intern is assigned a summer-long project (mine focuses on supplier diversity within procurement) that takes up the bulk of our time. I usually meet with my manager at the beginning and end of each week to discuss tasks, goals, and responsibilities. Outside of this, I help my team with day-to-day tasks, meet with two to three eBay employees a week to learn about their career paths, and attend professional development events designed specifically for college students and finance interns. These include presentations from members of the executive leadership team, panel discussions, lunches, team-building activities, networking opportunities, and more.
How did your St. Lawrence connections help you secure this position?
I was on the Budget and Finance committee of Thelmo, our student government, with former eBay intern and current full-time employee Mikayla Lathrop ’21. Last fall, I reached out to her to learn more about eBay and summer internship opportunities. She worked with me on revising my resume and preparing for interviews.
What has been your favorite task or project so far and why?
Taking on the supplier diversity program has been a good experience as it looks at a new or significantly revised initiative for eBay. I am working on it with a very small team and have a position of influence over the direction of the program. It’s been cool to see the program develop over the summer.
What have you taken away from this experience that you will apply to your future career path?
Overall, it’s interesting to see how a finance organization functions at a company as large and as well-known as eBay. I have gained a better understanding of careers in this space and have a more informed perspective going forward. I have improved both soft and technical skills that are important in business/finance, have created several connections, and have learned from career development presentations as part of the program.
How have you applied what you learned at St. Lawrence to the work you’re doing?
Financial Economics has been a very relevant course as it covered financial markets and taught me how to analyze a company’s financial information. It has given me a better perspective on analyzing eBay and how the company operates. The Fed Challenge also prepared me for this summer because it gave me a better understanding of the economy, macro conditions, and how those conditions can influence businesses. There is also plenty of career development built into the course.
I've learned a lot outside of the classroom as well. While serving in our student government, I often worked in a team to discuss spending. This allowed me to improve my strategic decision-making and collaboration skills, both of which came in handy this summer. All of the St. Lawrence networking and career development events helped me feel more comfortable connecting with new people and gave me a solid sense of expected office and workplace etiquette.
What about your experience so far are you most proud of?
It's hard to narrow it down to one thing. I am proud of taking on a new project, networking and meeting people across the company, improving soft and technical skills, and just generally moving to a new part of the country to start a new role. I think eBay does a great job at supporting work/life balance and I would say I am most proud of the balance I have achieved this summer.
Stew Hutchinson '23
Major: Economics and Business in the Liberal Arts double major
Hometown: Marblehead, Massachusetts
Internship: Financial Analyst intern at eBay in San Jose, California
What is an average day at eBay like for you?
My day begins at 8:30 a.m. Once I get to the office, I check my emails for anything important before getting ready for my first meeting. Usually, this consists of prepping whatever work I will likely need to present or familiarizing myself with whatever will be presented so that I’m ready to ask a question.
The University Recruiting Team at eBay is very methodical with how they train eBay interns and often our day will consist of some type of speaker, networking event, or lunch/brunch event where we talk about company culture or listen to an eBay executive speak about their role in the company. I then take a least an hour out of my day to schedule or meet with people outside of my team to learn their roles and get a better understanding of the eBay business. After lunch, I will take two to three hours to focus on my project without any distractions. The end of my day wraps up at 5 p.m. with a quick check-in with my manager. I then like to spend my evenings surfing in Santa Cruz, mountain biking, or golfing.
How did your St. Lawrence connections help you secure this position?
After connecting with eBay's recruiting team and letting them know I was interested in an internship, I reached out to trustee emeritus David Officer '67 and current eBay employees Laura Edson '20 and Katie Smith '21. Once I knew I’d be interviewing for an internship, I sought specific tips from each of them that were tailored to eBay. Laura and Katie were able to provide me with substantial first-hand information because they are recent grads of this internship. Mr. Officer helped me polish my resume, practice my talking points, and make a connection with Andy Cring '92, the former chief financial officer at eBay.
To students interested in similar internship opportunities, I would recommend securing as many interviews as possible, even if they’re for positions you don’t think you want. Then, when a position you want presents itself, you’ll be ready to go! Be comfortable selling yourself by telling a story, get to know the business thoroughly before interviewing, and ask questions that help you deepen your understanding during the interview process.
What has been your favorite task or project so far and why?
I've enjoyed learning the way the finance organization works within a massive company like eBay—specifically getting a better understanding of how each role works (treasury, corporate development, tax, accounting, investor relations, internal audit, etc.).
What have you taken away from this experience that you will apply to your future career path?
I think it's important to find a company that seeks to better our world. eBay connects buyers and sellers around the world and for many, eBay is the marketplace that supports their livelihood.
How have you applied what you learned at St. Lawrence to the work you’re doing?
Working as a team while doing your job. You aren’t going to be good at everything, but your team depends on you to do the things you are good at. On the lacrosse team at St. Lawrence, we have followed this rule and have found it to be successful. At eBay, it's been the same way. Every single person matters, regardless of how much time you play during the game. During practice, you make everyone around you better if you do your job.
What about your experience so far are you most proud of?
I have been proud of my ability to work with data and quickly use functions in Alteryx and Excel that I haven’t been familiar with prior.
