When she saw Northrop Grumman's table at the George Mason University Career Fair, Neha Bandaru figured that any opportunity the company had to offer would be catered to engineering students.
Neha Bandaru, Costello College of Business student. Photo provided by Neha Bandaru.
However, when she spoke with a Costello College of Business alum about what the aerospace and defense company had on the business side, it opened her eyes to the exciting opportunities available to her. After seeking out more conversations and doing her own research, Bandaru eagerly applied for the role of contract admin and analytics intern.
"The biggest thing I learned was how important attention to detail is. Even one small mistake can hold up the entire contract. It definitely taught me to be thorough and make sure every point of contact, approval, and detail was in place before moving something forward.”
—Neha Bandaru, Costello College of Business student
With Northrop Grumman divided into four business sectors—aeronautics, defense, mission, and space—Bandaru's position was located within the defense sector. From day one of her internship, she was thrown into meeting calls. After a few weeks of meeting everyone and learning about the company culture, she began her assigned projects, working intensely on one for a few days before being rotated to another.
Primarily working on contract closeout, she completed more than 60 projects throughout the summer. "The biggest thing I learned was how important attention to detail is," she says. "Even one small mistake can hold up the entire contract. It definitely taught me to be thorough and make sure every point of contact, approval, and detail was in place before moving something forward.”
Among her favorite experiences from the internship was visiting the hangar to see the planes being built, as well as taking a look at the old technology in laboratories. Getting to know and collaborating with employees and other interns was another highlight.
Two months of interning in this high-intensity environment have helped Bandaru think more deeply about different directions she may want to take her career. She also found that most people she spoke with had not followed a direct career path, figuring out their ambitions along the way.
“That provided some relief for me because I feel like there’s stress in your early 20s, like knowing exactly where you have to be for the next 40 years,” she says. “So, it was definitely very relaxing to be able to talk to people who say it’s OK not to know exactly where you’re going to be.” She remains highly interested in project management and analytics but has now also begun considering business law.
Neha Bandaru completed her internship with the meaningful experience of seeing both the business and production sides of a major company, along with the confidence that comes from being better able to work under pressure. By putting her skills to the test in real-world settings, she discovered career paths that she had not previously considered. As she begins her senior year at the Costello College of Business, she brings a sharpened skillset, an expanded network, and a clearer vision for her future career.