How Our 2024 Interns Shine Bright®
In honor of National Intern Day, Discover connects with the 2024 interns on their experiences thus far as part of #LifeAtDiscover.
This year, we’re hosting 104 interns from 60 universities across the United States.
From new projects, skills, and knowledge to immersing oneself into the culture and getting to know peers and leadership, these interns definitely Shine Bright®.
See what some of our interns had to say.
Name: Ariel (she/her)
Title: MBA General Business Intern – Demand Experience Strategy, OSS (Operation Shared Services)
Area of Study: MBA, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Office: Riverwoods
I have gained extreme respect and understanding of Discover’s dedication to customer service while working closely with call center data. The front-line agents go above and beyond to help customers resolve their issues as well as educate customers on financial topics.
My experience at Discover has allowed me to have influence on products that would directly impact the customer experience. I really enjoyed seeking opportunities that can improve the cardmember experience and would love to continue creating something customers love in the future.
Discover’s general business internship will open doors to various parts of this customer-obsessed, improvement-oriented bank. Candidates who showcase their enthusiasm and skills needed to tackle analyses, work within ambiguity, and persist in learning will do well at Discover.
Name: David (he/him)
Title: Cybersecurity Intern – SIIRT (Security Intelligence Incident Response & Threat) Tech
Area of Study: Computer Science, University of Southern California
Office: Riverwoods
My goal was to work for a financial institution this summer. As a top bank, and one of the better-known brands in the United States, Discover immediately caught my eye as a top destination.
This internship has taught me how to learn and consume information at an extremely quick pace. I work with the Security Intelligence Incident Response & Threat team in Cybersecurity which requires fast thinking and adaptability to support intelligence monitoring for the enterprise.
If I could give advice to future interns, I’d say take advantage of every second you have to meet people and learn new skills. From the first day of orientation, you will have the opportunity to build relationships, meet leadership, and gain knowledge. So make sure to hit the ground running! Don’t be afraid to be the one to raise your hand and ask a thought-provoking question to a Vice President.
Name: Laya (she/her)
Title: Business Technology (PULSE) Intern
Area of Study: Computer Science, University of Texas at Dallas
Office: Houston
I chose Discover because of its reputation for fostering innovation and commitment to employee development. The internship program stood out to me because of its comprehensive structure, which offers hands-on experience, mentorship, and the chance to work on meaningful projects.
As a BT Intern on the PULSE Xpress Team, I am currently learning about the development and optimization of internal software tools to improve operational efficiency and security. The tasks and projects I have been working on have been geared towards the modernization of preexisting application architecture from monolithic to microservice architecture.
As a student for most of my life imagining what my future career would be like, I feel the most rewarding part of my internship has been the opportunity to experience firsthand what my younger self has imagined. Additionally, the support and guidance from mentors and colleagues have been incredibly enriching, helping me grow professionally and personally.
Name: Eric (he/him)
Title: Data and Analytics Undergraduate Intern
Area of Study: Data Science & Personal Finance, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Office: Riverwoods
During the summer of my sophomore year, I participated in the 2023 Explore Discover 1-day program where I learned about Discover’s unique culture, mentorship opportunities, volunteer events, and internship programs. I was immediately welcomed and hopeful to return to Discover for an internship.
I was thrilled to return to Discover this summer as an intern on the data quality engineering team. My team utilizes tools to prep and ensure quality data for utilization within other business units in Discover. My biggest project of the internship has been working with a Business Risk Controls team to create a vendor management Tableau dashboard.
The internship experience has helped me recognize the various career paths available within data science. Everyone I have met at Discover has been kind and supportive. Getting hands on exposure to my team’s work as well as learning about other roles through coffee chats has made me excited about my own career journey.
Name: Yaelle
Title: Data and Analytics Undergraduate Intern
Area of Study: Data Science, Northwestern University
Office: Riverwoods
The reason I am where I am now, from immigrating from Haiti at four years old to working at Discover, is because I have had people in my life that believed in me and invested in me and my ability to grow. That’s why one of my main volunteer activities has involved mentoring and investing in the younger generation. There needs to be more people that look like me succeeding in careers you don’t hear about as often. Mentorship is something I will continue to do as I grow in my career.
When I participated in the summer 2023 Diversity Accelerator Program, I could tell based off how employees talked about Discover that it would be a great place to work. When it comes to working with data, you can do that anywhere because... data is everywhere. Therefore, what interested me more was the work environment. I wanted an environment where I felt supported, but also challenged to learn and grow. It seemed like an obvious choice to apply for the internship program after spending a few days learning about Discover’s values. I see those values reflected in my everyday interactions now as I navigate through my internship.