Summer Internship Insights | Texas Partners Bank & St. Mary's University

At Texas Partners Bank, we believe in supporting the aspirations of young professionals in our local communities. We are proud to work with the next generation of workplace talent and welcome future leaders to work with us at our bank locations as part of our summer internship program. This summer at our San Antonio headquarters, we welcomed Victoria Garcia and Alejandro Farias, who have been learning the ins and outs of the banking industry and providing our executive team with much added support.  

 

Victoria is a junior at St. Mary’s University studying accounting, and Alejandro Farias is a senior at St. Mary’s University studying finance and risk management with a minor in business analytics. We asked them how their internship with Texas Partners Bank is helping prepare them for work life beyond their education, what lessons they have learned that they plan to take with them after they leave the bank, and what accomplishments they have been most proud during their summer with us. 

 

How did your internship with Texas Partners Bank impact your professional career? 

Victoria: My internship with Texas Partners Bank has provided me with many opportunities for learning and mentorship. I have had the opportunity to work with Amy Sondergeld, CFO, and the accounting team on a variety of projects. These projects were very relevant to my degree and I am certain that they have provided me with knowledge for my professional career. I learned not only about accounting, but about the banking industry as well. I have realized that it is an industry that I find myself interested in. 

What surprised you the most from your internship?  

Alejandro: What has surprised me most is that the work I am doing has purpose and meaning. I am not just “the intern” but instead a contributing member of the team, who is held to the same standard and doing real work that helps to benefit the organization day in and day out.   

What was the biggest lesson you feel you learned during your internship? 

Victoria: It is very difficult to select one lesson because I have learned many lessons here and hope to continue learning. However, I would say that I learned that all businesses need to place an emphasis on creating and maintaining strong internal controls. The bank has done a great job at this, as they have countless controls in place to ensure that all information stored in their systems is secure.  

What did you work on during your internship that gave you the greatest sense of accomplishment? 

Alejandro: Victoria and I were tasked with designing a service project for all of Texas Partners Bank. This task seemed daunting, especially when ensuring that all of our markets were involved in our mission. However, the Write Start Project turned out great with donations coming in from all locations for their local communities. It really provided perspective that here at Texas Partners Bank we are all working together toward one common goal.  

 

The Write Start Project donations.