M. Holland’s 2018 Summer Internship Program
At M. Holland, we recognize the future of the plastics industry relies on tomorrow’s graduates. Each year, we invite our interns to participate in projects that impact our business. From developing PVC cable for the Arctic region to formulating an employee mentorship program and improving our purchase planning processes – our interns work on solving real-world challenges.
Making an Impact at M. Holland Headquarters
M. Holland is committed to providing students from various disciplines an introduction to the industry as well as a better understanding of what awaits them after they cross the graduation stage. This year, our summer interns helped teams across our business create, integrate, and streamline our programs. Here’s what the interns at M. Holland’s Northbrook headquarters worked on:
Pictured left to right: Hannah Johnson, Adam Ziminski, Fabian Reynoso-Ramirez, and Tess Kelly
Hannah Johnson, a marketing major and urban and regional analysis minor from Miami University, used business intelligence software to distill complex data, statistics, and information into maps and graphics that provided powerful sales and prospecting insight for M. Holland’s sales and business development teams.
Adam Ziminski, a University of Kentucky student majoring in marketing and business management, focused on streamlining the invoice process and lifecycle.
Fabian Reynoso-Ramirez, who holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and engineering management from the Illinois Institute of Technology, concentrated on helping our sales team simplify existing processes.
Our Human Resources intern, Tess Kelly, who attends the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is majoring in psychology with a concentration in organizational psychology and minoring in leadership studies, created a roadmap for M. Holland to implement a mentorship program.
Testing Materials at our Easton Technical Services Lab
While Hannah, Adam, Fabian, and Tess were hard at work in Northbrook, our team at M. Holland’s Easton Technical Services Lab hosted another great group of interns from Lehigh University, all of whom were focused on materials testing for real-world applications.
T&T interns pictured left to right: Dan Thomas, Conor Leach, Eric Beren
Eric Beren, a senior bioengineering major, worked to decrease the wall thickness of medicine bottles, which in turn helps plastics manufacturers reduce the amount of material needed for production, both lowering cost and improving sustainability.
Dan Thomas, a senior majoring in materials science, focused on how to improve track resistance for high-density polyethylene and worked on methods to improve the flame retardancy of select materials.
Fellow intern and materials science major Connor Leach, a junior at Lehigh, looked at how ships could cross newly-navigable Arctic waters in extreme temperatures without taxing onboard wire and cables – a growing and costly problem for vessels traveling in areas that have experienced melting ice caps.
“Our interns helped us work with a lot of materials that came in from M. Holland for testing,” said Paul Lorigan, technical director at the Easton Technical Services Lab. “Their creative approaches to problem-solving were instrumental, and they made a major impact on all of us. These students will excel in whatever challenges they face after their education.”
Investing in the Next Generation of Plastics Professionals
M. Holland strives to ensure our internship program provides students with unique experiences and opportunities. In return, we appreciate the value and fresh perspective they bring to our business. “The work our interns do for our company is not limited to one summer; their work continues to be applied at M. Holland long after they leave us,” said Ed Holland, president and CEO of M. Holland. “We want to ensure our internship program is beneficial for both parties, and I’m proud to say the company has implemented or expanded on many of the ideas and projects our interns have delivered in the past.”
M. Holland is proud to continue fostering growth and education for future plastics professionals and engineers. Along with our internship program, we partner with the Plastics Pioneers Association to award a scholarship to one undergraduate college student majoring in plastics engineering, plastics engineering technology, or polymer science. Learn more about this year’s scholarship recipient and our corporate development program for new professionals here.
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