Sarah Sprinthall ’24 secured the title of intern this past summer at Stanley Black & Decker. She’ll have a new title with the company after graduation: full-time employee.
Corporate partners like Stanley Black & Decker are integral to the Barney School of Business’ Career Ready program at the University of Hartford. Sarah is experiencing this first-hand.
Sarah, a business analytics and managerial economics major, is graduating a semester early this December and served as a technology and analytics intern, working directly with Stanley Black & Decker’s IT team. Upon graduation, she will enter the IT rotational leadership program, an exciting move after enjoying a very positive experience and learning about data management systems, as well as product lifecycle management systems.
“I was able to apply my academic skill sets to my work at Stanley Black & Decker when it came to critical thinking and problem-solving during data cleaning, data validation, and data analysis processes,” she says. “The exposure to real business problems gave me additional insight and knowledge into business development. I had the pleasure to work with other interns on a cross-functional innovation challenge to pitch a new product idea. Through hard work, collaboration, and effective communication, my team won the challenge against 17 teams of interns.”
In the Career Ready program, Barney focuses on preparing students for their future careers. Sarah says that her internship experience improved her data analysis skills, and while it solidified her foundational knowledge of data analysis techniques she learned from college, it built upon her skills as well. Exposure to new tools and software taught her technical proficiency and industry knowledge that will help her effectively manage data and conduct meaningful analyses in her future career in business analytics.
By working with messy, real-world data, Sarah gained insight on the best practices in collecting and cleaning data to make it suitable for analysis. She worked on three core projects which helped her develop project management skills. Through collaboration and networking, she also enhanced her ability to connect with others while refining her business etiquette skills.
Barney’s rigorous coursework allowed her to enter the internship feeling competent, confident, and connected. She says, “Barney provided me with a well-structured curriculum, capturing core topics in data analysis, statistics, and business acumen. I have learned many skills in data analytics, using various data tools and software (e.g. Excel, Python, R) and data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau) throughout my coursework and additional learning services, like Udemy, that the Barney School provides. Not only do I feel more competent in my technical skills and knowledge, but I also feel more confident in my ability to become a successful business leader.”
Sarah also notes supportive and engaged faculty as contributing to her academic success and personal growth. Barney’s networking opportunities and mentorship programs have connected her with influential alumni and reputable businesses—connections she says she intends on utilizing and expanding as a networking technique.
Sarah especially appreciates her time with Celia Lofink, assistant dean of career ready programs. Sarah has been assisting her with the Hawks Take Flight program for first-year students on Fridays in the fall, covering a multitude of career readiness topics. She cites this role as helping her develop leadership, event management, and analytics skills. She is especially happy to help first-year students make a meaningful contribution to their education and continual learning.
Not only does she credit Lofink with teaching her lessons on management and work ethic, but also Barney professors Ken Goroshko and Ben Brewer, and Fei Xue, a professor from UHart’s College of Arts and Sciences. These faculty members gave her guidance, motivated her, reassured her abilities, and believed in her data analysis skills that she plans to use in her career, she says.
A final word of advice from Sarah: “I would advise incoming Barney students to take the time to enjoy their experiences and to reflect on what they value most as they progress through their journey. Time is truly a one-way transaction that cannot be reversed, so making the most out of what you have and dedicating time to set goals aligned to your values are essential principles to embrace.”
Sarah Sprinthall ’24, Barney School of BusinessWhat I enjoy most about my experience at UHart and Barney is the career readiness and preparation the school has provided me. This includes challenging and thought-provoking assignments and projects, as well as professional, career-ready skill sets that can help me become an impactful leader in the workforce.