Human Resource Management Major Lands Internship With Advertising Agency MARC USA Student Profile
Photos by Emma Federkeil, junior broadcast production and media management major
Update: Olga is now human resources director for HCR ManorCare. She was offered a position with the organization before graduating.
Meet Olga Herrera
- Job Title & Employer
- Human Resources Intern, MARC USA
- Major/Program
- Human Resource Management
- Graduation
- April 2019
- College Activities
- Student Human Resources Association and Pittsburgh Human Resources Association
- Scholarships
- Trustee
- Hometown
- Ligonier, Pa.
- High School
- Ligonier Valley High School
- Now Living In
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
"Olga already had an interesting HR background and education, but her great attitude really made the hiring decision an easy one. Olga's combination of skills and attitude enable her to do great work while being receptive to learning and working through new challenges every day. I know Professor Sandy Mervosh and have a strong respect for her HR knowledge and expertise. What I’ve seen through Olga is that the HR curriculum is comprehensive and seems to be setting students up for success."
"The faculty here have been amazing. They have gone above and beyond to help me become the best that I can be. Professor Sandy Mervosh has played a crucial role in my success and is the reason I have my internship today. I appreciate Sandy so much because she has made me very passionate about HR and has helped me find something that I want to do for the rest of my life."
How did you land an internship with MARC USA?
I learned about this internship through Professor Sandy Mervosh. I thought the opportunity looked great so I applied to it.
Tell us about the work you do and how your HR management classes have prepared you.
My role at MARC USA is to help with full-cycle recruiting for all three MARC USA offices: Pittsburgh, Chicago and Boston. I screen resumes and candidates and schedule interviews. Also, I write and run recruitment ads on the MARC USA website.
In addition, I lead and coordinate many aspects of the agency’s internship program including recruiting interns, tracking intern hours and other intern activities. This year, I had the opportunity to assist in the implementation of a new applicant tracking system for the agency. My goal was to ensure a smart and streamlined candidate experience.
My HR management classes have taught me many different laws that I must follow in order to recruit. There are several things that I cannot ask during the screening and interviewing process that I have learned through my classes. I have also learned about acts that have been put in place to protect employees that HR professionals must know.
What attracted you to Point Park University?
I was attracted to Point Park University because of the location. I knew that I wanted to go to school in the city and Point Park was perfect. In addition, I like the smaller class sizes because I feel like I learn more from the professors because they can take time to talk to students one on one.
How have our faculty impacted you during your time at Point Park?
The faculty here have been amazing. They have gone above and beyond to help me become the best that I can be. Professor Sandy Mervosh has played a crucial role in my success and is the reason I have my internship today. I appreciate Sandy so much because she has made me very passionate about HR and has helped me find something that I want to do for the rest of my life.
I’d also like to thank Wayne Grim for teaching me so much about what I know. Taking his classes have really helped me become a more well-rounded HR student. I have applied what I have learned from his classes and use it at my internship.
What are your career goals?
After graduation I would love to obtain a job as an HR assistant or HR generalist. I also plan on earning some HR certifications in order to make me a more skilled HR professional. Eventually, I would love to become a director of HR at a company.
More About: Rowland School of Business, human resource management, internships, Downtown Pittsburgh, scholarships