For the second summer in a row, we are proud to feature our summer interns on the blog.  Here’s a look at the entities our interns have shadowed and what they have learned.

Joe Ver Steegh returned to TS Bank for a second summer after previously interning in the summer of 2016. He joined the Ag Finance team once again and spent his summer working on projects for his team, including credit packages, client visits and performing inspections along side a regional manager. Joe returned to Iowa State University at the conclusion of his internship and will graduate this fall (December 2017).

“I wanted to work for a company where I mattered and could make a difference. At TS Bank, every employee you meet is polite, engaged and interested in you as a person. As an intern, knowing that you’re valued by your coworkers and not just a number on the payroll is a great feeling. Plus, I don’t know many people who have the opportunity to eat lunch with the Chairman of the Board and his wife, Secretary of the Board on their first day on the job.”

Charlotte Hedican joined TS Bank for the summer after the conclusion of her sophomore year at Loyola University Chicago. She worked closely with the Marketing team, where she gained experience in digital and social media, event planning, blog writing and general marketing. She had the chance to be the event coordinator for the annual Westfair Watermelon Feed. Following the conclusion of her internship, Charlotte will spend the first semester of her junior year abroad at London Metropolitan University in London, England.

“I think one of TS Banking Group’s greatest assets is the respect they have fostered for their employees. I feel that my ideas are genuinely encouraged and listened to. On my first day the Director of Marketing, Melissa Peterson asked what I wanted to get out of my experience. I don’t know a lot of bosses or companies who are that invested in the experience an employee will have when they are only working for three months.”

Mostafa Rafaiejokandan joined TS Bank as a Database Intern in May 2017. Working closely with his colleagues on the systems and technology teams, Mostafa has become literate in bank core systems, financial analysis, and stock market analysis. He is currently a Ph.D. student at University Nebraska-Lincoln. 

“When I met the employees at TS Bank, I knew I had to work there. They were so friendly and open to hearing new ideas, and I knew that there were a lot of new things that I could learn from them as well.” 

Jayme Ratekin joined TS Bank this summer as an intern in the Data Science division. Jayme worked closely with his team to learn and practice coding, and how it’s applied. The experience he gained from his team allowed him to work independently on most coding projects. Following his internship, Jayme returned to Thomas Jefferson High School where he is a junior.

“The experience of the employees on my team was something other internships could not offer. The group has so much experience; it’s amazing to work with them.”

Grant Mantell joined TS Institute as their intern in May 2017 after his freshman year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He had the opportunity to learn about and help implement financial literacy programs and attended conferences and financial literacy events with his team. He also was given the opportunity to work remotely for a period of his internship while taking summer courses. At the conclusion of his internship, Grant returned to UNL for his sophomore year where he is majoring in Finance. 

“I wanted to intern at TS Banking Group because I knew I would gain strong experience from their program. I think that TS Banking Group is kind and welcoming to their interns, and I am not sure that other companies would be like that. “

James Hoag spent his summer at TS Bank working under the systems and technology teams as a Data Science intern. He worked both independently and with other employees on multiple projects and furthered his knowledge with the online data science course  ‘datacamp.’ James will graduate from Thomas Jefferson High School in the spring.

“I thought it would be a great experience learning about data science and working in a professional environment. I enjoyed the smaller department I was in because it allowed for me to get to know my coworkers and made for a much better experience.”

Looking for a summer internship next year? Check our website next spring for openings!