(l-r) Klages, Guillaume, Lopez
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As students plan and register for spring classes, they are also beginning to think of what the summer will hold. Last year, rather than return home and work part-time until the start of the academic year, Milca Lopez Perez ’23, computational communication major and computer science minor from Los Angeles, decided to seek an internship through the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences (CEAE).
Lycoming College’s CEAE is dedicated to helping students identify and participate in a wide-range of experiences that allow them to develop intellectually, professionally, and personally, including internships, student-faculty research, and global travel. By working with career advisor Anne Landon, Lopez landed an opportunity at The Honest Company, a wellness brand founded by actress Jessica Alba that advocates happy and healthy lives through its beauty and baby products. Landon learned of the opportunity through Glenn Smith, associate director of major gifts, Lycoming alumni Glenn Klages ’79, executive vice president of the company, and Corinna Guillaume ’99, associate director, quality.
“I love the mission of The Honest Company,” Lopez said. “They truly care about their consumers and employees. They also care a lot about giving back to the community, such as donating to non-profit organizations.”
“This was Milca’s first hands-on experience in a professional work environment, and she rose to the occasion,” Landon said. “Corinna was Milca’s direct supervisor and even paired her with a mentor who provided many opportunities to learn about careers for women in STEM. This is a great example of the importance of Lycoming College’s alumni connections.”
When asked about her experience working with former Lycoming graduates, Lopez replied, “I felt very comfortable working with Lycoming alumni,” Lopez said. “Glenn and Corinna were very welcoming. I was lucky to be able to meet them and work alongside them in person.”
At the beginning of the internship, Lopez attended weekly meetings, participated in discussions, and worked on a number of projects, such as updating the training matrix for the Standard Operations Procedures. In doing this, Lopez eliminated difficulties and made the system more manageable and effective.
When asked about how this internship experience will benefit Lopez in the future, she said, “It exposed me to not only working in the quality and operations department of a business but also helped me network with people from other departments in which I had an interest in.”
To ease the internship experience, the company’s human resources team provided weekly meetings with the interns to help them with any questions they might have. Lopez’s mentor not only helped her with work-related questions but also helped in setting up life and career goals.
“All of us at The Honest Company are so grateful for the work she completed and the new, fresh perspective she brought to the table,” Guillaume said. “I feel this internship benefited Milca by exposing her to the corporate environment and her gaining transferable skills that can be used in any career path she chooses.”
Lopez’s career goal is to get a job with a company that has a great mission, much like the one at The Honest Company. She has interests in either becoming a software developer or working within the business setting, and because of her experience with the CEAE, she not only has made meaningful connections but has gained tools to help her attain her goal.
“Overall, I really enjoyed this internship,” Lopez said. “My manager and mentor made the experience very engaging. Everyone was welcoming and made me feel confident in my work.”