My name is Tom Cremins ‘21 (pictured third from left), a rising junior economics major and education minor at Holy Cross, and current managing director of the HC Launch incubator through the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society. This summer I had the privilege of interning with Keeling & Associates, a highly-comprehensive consulting firm focused on the higher education sector with the goal of trying to improve learning outcomes for both students and institutions.
While I am an economics major, my favorite topic to learn about is education. I picked up the education minor during my sophomore year, and ever since I have fallen in love with the field. When searching for a summer internship, I wanted to look for an opportunity where I could use my economics background to pursue work based in the education sector. When I connected with K&A I knew right away that it was a perfect fit. I would be able to learn more about consulting, a popular industry for college graduates, while doing work that I could really engage with.
Since day one, my experience at K&A was overwhelmingly positive. As an intern, I was really treated as part of the team on every project assigned to. On my first client visit I even got to work extensively with the president of the institution, an experience that was incredibly valuable for me as a student looking to learn more about how institutions of higher education function. I was able to engage with consulting projects with clients ranging from small liberal arts colleges to large research universities, assisting clients (both on and off site) with work such as strategic planning and assessment of learning practices and curricula. Not only was I able to take on a significant role on these projects, I was able to create some incredible professional relationships during client visits and enjoyed every second of it.
It is hard to believe how much I have learned during my first internship. I have been able to sharpen my professional communication skills, create some incredible relationships, learn about the higher education and consulting industries, and adapt to a professional atmosphere all while engaging with work that I have truly enjoyed. Upon returning to Holy Cross as a junior this fall, I will be going back to the Hill with increased knowledge of the consulting and higher education fields and some excellent experience working and communicating with highly qualified and experienced professionals. These experiences will help me as an individual moving forward both in the classroom, in my position with HC Launch and beyond.
Thank you to Tom Cremins ‘21 for sharing his internship experience. We look forward to all of the exciting things you will do on campus with HC Launch this year!
Thanks for reading! Cassie
Cassie Gevry, Associate Director of Student Engagement
Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society
