Welcome to our 1st Student Spotlight of the fall! Today, we are highlighting Natalie DePasquale, who is a senior majoring in Marketing Management with a minor in Spanish. She had the opportunity to gain plenty of hands-on experience during her internship with PepsiCo Frito-Lay.

What was your role? How did you get the position?

"I was a sales management intern at the Lorton, VA office. I obtained the position by going to Sales Industry Day and Business Horizons last year, and I talked to as many companies that piqued my interest as possible. I wasn't afraid of putting my name out there and talking to larger companies. You really have to advocate for yourself to land dream roles."

Tell us more about your time at PepsiCo. What did your experience consist of?

"I was given a project to focus on throughout the internship, and I had a manager and two mentors. My mentor was a District Sales Leader (DSL) and I shadowed her in the beginning to understand pieces of equipment and commonly-used acronyms at PepsiCo. I then went on a route ride with an assigned Route Sales Representative (RSR). After this, I focused on improving sales of different small format stores, such as drug stores and 7-Elevens."

What were your greatest takeaways after completing the 10-week program?

Flexibility plays a large part in the job, and each decision you make will lead you to learning more about yourself or the job you’re working on.

I found that being able to adapt to situations is crucial to your success, because you will run into obstacles, but you must think on your feet to solve a problem.

Be willing to ask questions, be like a sponge and broaden your knowledge.

The internship role was very self-directed and it’s what you make of it. Time management and finding a balance will make your life easier.

What are some of your favorite memories during your time with the company?

“There are way too many to count but I really enjoyed touring the Aberdeen and Charlotte plants and trying fresh hot cheetos, meeting the other interns and attending a Charlotte baseball game, as well as my Route Run with David, an RSR.”

Reach out to Natalie if you have any more questions and need advice/assistance with internships and interviews!