Name: Daniel Seely
Major: Politics, Philosophy, and Economics; Music Performance Minor
Class Year: 2023
Organization: Nationwide – Finance Data Governance Team
Intern Title: Controllership Summer Intern
Describe your internship roles, responsibilities and significant contributions:
This summer, I had the opportunity to work with the Finance Data Governance team in Nationwide’s Controllership Department. My regular duties included helping the team monitor data flow to the general ledger and investigate discrepancies as well as sync new business rules to the data decisions software. The data decisions software is responsible for processing all transaction data from across the entire enterprise. The largest block of my summer was spent helping the team implement an entirely new software for processing the data, housing the rules, and governing the flow of data. This was a massive high impact project for the team and I was very lucky to be able to contribute to its implementation. For my final project, I developed a Python bot to automate a monthly process, creating savings for the enterprise and ensuring accuracy.
One highlight from the summer was the Intern In Office Experience. Many of the interns were remote or hybrid for the summer so the coordinators organized a week where everybody would be in-person. During the week we met with senior leaders, attended professional development sessions, participated in team-building workshops, and experienced what the in-office environment is like. One of the best parts of the in-office week was when all the controllership intern went to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank to volunteer together.
How did your internship aid in your career exploration or decision making?
My experience at Nationwide was very helpful for my career exploration process. Before Nationwide, I had no experience working at a company larger than 10 people, let alone a Fortune 100 company. Interning at Nationwide, I got valuable insights into what working at a large company would be like. Interning at such a large enterprise allowed me to learn how to navigate and orient myself within a large business context and helped me decide if I wanted to work at a small or large company after graduation.
What advice do you have for future interns?
For students considering what internship opportunities to pursue, I would strongly recommend considering not only the responsibilities and benefits of each program but the overall context and environment of the business as well. Interning in different contexts will provide valuable insights into what kind of environment you would like to work in after graduation.
For those considering Nationwide:
Overall, I was very impressed by Nationwide’s internship program. From start to finish, the coordinators and managers took every opportunity to make sure the interns felt supported. The onboarding process was very thorough and it was easy to access help and clarification throughout the summer. In addition to a direct manager, every intern had an experienced mentor who could help you navigate the business and other relationships. On the operational teams, interns were plugged right into work that had real impact on the organization. There was never a time where I felt that the work I was doing had no impact. I believe that is what sets the Nationwide internship program apart from other experiences. At the end of my internship, I accepted an offer to return to Nationwide Controllership after I graduated! I can’t wait to start my career at this fantastic company!
