On The Grid

By Matt Hawkins

As a veteran intern at Chicago-based Commonwealth Edison, Chance Dowds ’16 is taking on responsibilities that prepare him for corporate business opportunities after graduation.

The management information systems major from Delavan, Illinois, is taking a leadership role in Exelon’s information technology department his second summer with the corporation. This year’s responsibilities build on skills and trust developed during his stint last year at Commonwealth Edison corporate parent Exelon.

“I knew I’d get more responsibility, which would mean more real-world experience,” Dowds said. “Working in a position like this has given me something to look forward to and has prepared me for life when I graduate.”

Dowds’ duties this year focus on systems management. His leadership skills helped the corporation implement a cost-savings switch in employees’ phone services. Additionally, Dowds is helping staff who operate systems that monitor Commonwealth Edison’s power generation and distribution.

Two summers at the regional energy giant have given him a holistic understanding of the corporate business world. Last year provided a taste of business management, while this summer showed him the intricacies of the energy industry’s distribution process.

“It’s been interesting to see the differences between corporate and energy distribution offices,” Dowds said. “Each has its own culture and I’ve had to adapt to those differences. My ability to adapt will be beneficial when I start my career.”

Because of his familiarity with the corporation, Dowds has more freedom to find and pursue projects. He has used the freedom to uncover new information about the corporate world and to test his skills in the workplace.

Those unexpected learning experiences will be the most significant moments of the summer.

“It’s great getting to learn new things every week,” he said. “I’ve learned about things I never knew I’d need to know and discovered things I never knew existed. That has been the most gratifying part of this internship.”