Absorbing Business Culture

Management and leadership major Kayla Diaz ’17 learned the value of corporate culture as a summer intern for Abbott Nutrition, a division of Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories.

Diaz, a Des Plaines, Illinois, native, laid the foundation for a new position in e-commerce as part of the company’s retail sales team. The role meant she was in regular contact with company management.

High expectations gave her greater appreciation for Abbott Nutrition’s internship program, highly regarded by rankings publications Princeton Review and Businessweek.

“It was gratifying to work in a corporate culture focused on growth and achievement,” Diaz said. “Everyone, from my manager to senior management, was willing to spend time talking to interns when we had questions. I’m proud to be in a working environment that fosters such open communication and teamwork.”

Diaz learned the art of analyzing and interpreting data. She became proficient in finding key storylines within the numbers and explaining it to different audiences within the office. Frequent presentations prepared her for a final presentation in which she will recap her summer accomplishments.

Abbott Nutrition’s corporate culture encouraged Diaz to grow through questions. Intern teammates and company staff became valuable resources as she navigated her challenges.

“Internships are made to push you out of your comfort zone,” she said. “I realized that asking questions showed I was engaged and eager to learn. My team produced great results because we helped each other solve small issues before they became unmanageable.”

The challenging, yet supportive work environment encouraged Diaz to make corporate culture a significant factor when she enters the job market.

“I’ve learned the importance of business culture,” she said. “In the job search, we can get caught up in the idea that the company is interviewing us. In reality, we should be interviewing the company as well to see if it’s what we want for our future.”