In Spring of 2020, the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business announced they were looking for Internship opportunities for students as many had been cancelled due to COVID-19. As part of this program, the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) offered to match funds for a minimum of 50 percent of the cost of hiring interns. MobileDemand President Matt Miller reached out to David Hensley, JPEC Executive Director, to learn more about the program. "Recognizing the value of bringing intern talent to the MobileDemand team, we quickly created job postings for Marketing, industrial engineer, and data analyst internships. The interns have been able to bring new knowledge, skills, and capacity to our team, and it has been enjoyable to work with these talented individuals," said Matt Miller. "As they return to school, we wish these individuals the absolute best in their future endeavors and possible opportunities with MobileDemand."

Meet Our Interns!  

Ellie Paul: Data Analyst Intern - Senior studying Business Analytics
Emma Sherlock: Marketing Intern - Senior studying Marketing, Event Management, and Entrepreneurial Management  
Hieu Nguyen: Industrial Engineering Intern - Junior studying Industrial Engineering and Finance  
Jackson Miller: Data Analyst Intern - Sophomore studying Accounting and Philosophy   

Projects and Assignments  

Ellie: "During my internship, I created dashboards using Microsoft Power BI for all departments within MobileDemand. These included Service, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales." 
Emma: "I worked on nearly every piece of marketing for MobileDemand. From writing blog posts and monitoring social media, to assisting with website updates and quarterly campaigns, I was able to touch so many different projects.  
Hieu: "I had two main projects during my internship. I helped optimize the xDIM™ Mobile Volume Dimensioning products through testing multiple variables including lighting, distance, and angle of the camera. I also worked on preparations for the NTEP Certification by making sure all requirements were met and finding any possible issues before the official test.  
Jackson: "I focused on using Excel and Microsoft Power BI to model and clean company data. I used data to build charts, KPIs, and other key metrics to assist the different departments of the company. I also worked with the finance department to document and update the company's internal review procedures." 

Real-life Lessons and Greatest Takeaways 

Ellie: "The importance of communication within a business, especially when communicating between departments. Each team has their own specific skillset and jargon and it is important to learn how to communicate effectively to those who are not trained in the same areas as you." 
Emma: "This internship allowed me to apply knowledge from my course work into real-world situations. I have previously worked in B2C retail but working in a B2B company helped to hone my skills even further."  
Hieu: "Don't be afraid to reach out and clarify or ask questions so you don't make a mistake that could snowball into something bigger." 
Jackson: "The experience working for MobileDemand has given me a lot of insights into how a business actually runs." 

Favorite Part of Interning with MobileDemand

Ellie: "The freedom to create dashboards the best way I saw fit. Not having a data analyst within the company before me, I was able to be an “expert” in dashboards. I was learning as I created and then, in turn, teaching others in the company what I learned and how they can implement that in the future."
Emma: "I felt that I was a member of the marketing team the second I started. All of my coworkers made me feel that my contributions were truly important to the success of the team." 
Hieu: "Being able to interact with all of the different management levels, not just reporting to one higher up made me feel that my input was highly valued. 
Jackson: "The people are super friendly, and I especially enjoyed the monthly all-company lunches. Also, I liked seeing my completed projects be executed by the company right away."