Hannah Frederick, Marketing Intern
Six interns. Four departments. Two states. One summer filled with learning, growth, and experiences that will shape our careers long after the internship ends.
When I accepted my internship with Waterford Bank this summer, I expected to gain experience in marketing. What I didn’t expect was just how much I would learn about leadership, collaboration, community involvement, and the many moving pieces that come together to make a community bank successful.
Over the past few months, I had the opportunity to work alongside five other interns across Compliance, Human Resources, Marketing, and Credit. We arrived with different interests, different career goals, and different levels of familiarity with the banking industry. Some of us were exploring banking for the first time. Others arrived with a strong interest in finance, marketing, human resources, or compliance.
What connected us was a shared desire to learn.
As the summer progressed, we found ourselves doing far more than observing from the sidelines. We contributed to meaningful projects, volunteered in our communities, attended professional development events, and worked alongside teams that genuinely invested in our growth. Looking back, one of the things that stands out most isn’t any single project or event: it’s the variety of experiences we were trusted to take part in and the support we received every step of the way.
For me, that’s what made this internship unique. Waterford didn’t simply give us work to complete; it gave us opportunities to contribute, ask questions, challenge ourselves, and explore what our future careers could look like. More importantly, it gave us people who were willing to teach, mentor, and invest in our success.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
One of the biggest surprises of the summer was discovering just how interconnected every department within the bank truly is.
Like many people, I arrived with a general understanding of banking but little appreciation for everything happening behind the scenes. Over the course of the summer, I watched each intern gain a new perspective on the role their department plays in supporting customers, employees, communities, and the organization as a whole.
For Compliance Intern Abby Reed, that realization came through seeing the complexity behind everyday financial decisions. One of her biggest takeaways was recognizing “how much goes on behind the scenes of every financial decision someone makes.” Her experience offered a deeper understanding of both the banking industry and the critical role compliance plays throughout the organization.
In Human Resources, Mackenzie Coleman discovered that flexibility can be just as important as planning. While coursework provided a strong foundation, real-world experience taught her that priorities can shift quickly. As Mackenzie explained, “you can have your whole day planned out and then an employee needs your help.” Learning to adapt became one of the most valuable lessons of her summer.
As the Marketing Intern, I experienced firsthand just how broad the field can be. Throughout the summer, I contributed to content creation, social media initiatives, branding discussions, event planning, videography projects, and strategic conversations. One of my favorite parts of the experience was meeting professionals from different departments and learning how their expertise contributes to the organization’s success. Those conversations reinforced something I’ve come to appreciate deeply: great marketing isn’t created in isolation. It requires curiosity, collaboration, and a genuine understanding of the people you’re serving.
The Credit interns experienced a similar expansion of perspective through hands-on exposure to commercial banking and financial analysis.
Cayden Jacoby developed a stronger understanding of how financial information supports lending decisions and gained valuable experience analyzing the factors that help organizations assess risk and opportunity. Through projects, conversations, and day-to-day responsibilities, he saw firsthand how analytical thinking contributes to sound decision-making.
For Tyler Wood, one of the most valuable lessons was learning that growth often comes from being willing to ask questions and embrace challenges. “Making mistakes and asking questions are crucial parts of growing as a professional,” Tyler shared. Throughout the internship, he continued building both technical knowledge and confidence while taking on new responsibilities.
Brittnay Thieke entered the internship without prior banking experience but quickly found herself drawn to the analytical side of the industry. Throughout the summer, she enjoyed learning “everything that goes into being an analyst at a commercial bank” and gained confidence in skills that were entirely new just a few months earlier.
While our departments looked very different on paper, our experiences shared a common theme: growth happens when people are willing to invest in your development.
Contributing Meaningful Work
One thing that impressed all of us was the level of trust we received.
Rather than spending the summer completing busy work, interns were given opportunities to contribute to projects that created real value for our teams. We were encouraged to think critically, ask questions, share ideas, and take ownership of our work.
In Compliance, Abby helped create resources designed to support future interns while gaining a deeper understanding of regulatory processes and risk management. Her work reflected one of the themes that defined the internship experience: leaving things better than you found them.
In Human Resources, Mackenzie contributed to initiatives that will continue supporting employees long after the internship concludes. Along the way, she gained firsthand experience balancing day-to-day responsibilities with larger organizational goals.
My experience in Marketing provided opportunities to contribute across a wide variety of initiatives, from blogs and newsletters to social media content, event support, videography projects, and strategic planning conversations. One of my favorite experiences crafting an integrated marketing campaign with paid advertisements across Meta and LinkedIn that were connected to blogs highlighting relevant services Waterford offers to young professionals in the Midwest. Having the opportunity to contribute ideas rooted in communications, branding, and analytics allowed me to connect classroom concepts with real organizational objectives while gaining insight into how strategic decisions are made.
Learning from professionals in a variety of fields was a highlight for the entire team! Getting to engage with the local community and give back was just as valuable as the skills we gained working at Waterford Bank in our respective departments.
Throughout the summer, the Credit interns took on increasingly meaningful responsibilities while building their understanding of commercial banking and financial analysis. As their confidence grew, so did their ability to contribute to projects that supported the department’s work. What began as a learning experience quickly evolved into opportunities to apply knowledge, solve problems, and support real business objectives.
Looking across the intern class, one thing became clear: we weren’t brought in simply to observe.
We were trusted to contribute.
Whether creating resources, supporting onboarding efforts, developing content, analyzing financial information, or assisting with departmental initiatives, each of us had opportunities to make a meaningful impact while continuing to learn. That trust made all the difference.
Building Connections Beyond the Office
While the professional experience was invaluable, some of the most memorable moments happened outside our day-to-day responsibilities.
One of my favorite aspects of the internship was seeing how seriously Waterford takes community involvement. Throughout the summer, we participated in Mobile Meals, a Metroparks cleanup project, the Young Professionals Mud Hens outing, the EPIC Golf Outing, a Habitat for Humanity build, company cookouts, and networking opportunities across the organization.
Several of us also attended the Women’s Leadership Summit, where we heard from accomplished leaders and gained valuable insights into leadership, professional development, and career growth.
These experiences allowed us to build relationships beyond our immediate teams while seeing firsthand how Waterford’s commitment to community extends beyond banking.
Just as importantly, they helped us get to know one another.
Whether we were volunteering together, attending events, playing Jeopardy, participating in friendly bake-off competitions, or celebrating victories on the golf course, those shared experiences strengthened connections that will last long after the internship ends.
Again and again, interns pointed to the people as the defining part of their summer.
Mackenzie described Waterford as feeling like “a second family.”
Abby was surprised by the level of collaboration across departments and the willingness of employees to help. “Every department is so supportive and goes out of their way to help,” she shared.
For Cayden, the most surprising aspect of the experience was how approachable everyone was. He noted that colleagues were always willing to answer questions and share their knowledge, creating an environment where learning felt encouraged rather than intimidating.
Tyler echoed those thoughts, recalling how welcomed he felt from his very first day and how quickly he became part of the team.
Brittnay found that same spirit of support throughout the organization. Whenever she encountered a challenge, coworkers took the time to explain not only what needed to be done, but why it mattered.
As someone who spent the summer interacting with employees across the organization, I couldn’t agree more. The projects, events, and learning opportunities were incredible, but it’s the people who made the experience truly memorable.
This summer, the intern team had the opportunity to connect with our community through a Habitat for Humanity build, Toledo Metroparks clean-up, and a variety of other events where we got to embrace Waterford Bank’s commitment to community engagement.
Looking Ahead
As our internship comes to a close, each of us leaves with new skills, greater confidence, meaningful relationships, and a clearer picture of where we hope our careers will take us.
For me personally, this experience reinforced my passion for marketing, strategic communications, and public relations. It showed me how creativity, strategy, analytics, relationship-building, and community engagement can come together to create meaningful impact within an organization.
More importantly, it reminded me that professional growth isn’t just about gaining technical skills. It’s about finding mentors, building relationships, serving your community, and learning from people who are invested in your success.
That’s exactly what I found at Waterford Bank.
While every internship experience was unique, one theme remained consistent: growth. Growth through new challenges. Growth through collaboration. Growth through community involvement. Growth through opportunities that pushed us outside our comfort zones and encouraged us to think bigger about our futures.
As we return to campus, pursue new opportunities, and continue working toward our goals, we’re grateful for the experiences we’ve gained and the people who made them possible.
If any part of our experience resonates with you, I encourage you to keep an eye on Waterford Bank’s 2027 Summer Internship Program. A year ago, I was looking for an opportunity to gain real-world experience, build meaningful relationships, and learn from professionals who cared about my growth. This summer exceeded those expectations, and I know future interns will find the same support, challenge, and opportunity that we did.
The future is bright for this year’s intern class, and I’m excited to see where these experiences take us next!
About the Author
About the Author
Hannah Frederick is a member of the Marketing team at Waterford Bank and a strategic communication, marketing, and Spanish student at Bowling Green State University. She develops educational content that helps readers better understand financial topics and connect with the resources and expertise available through community banking. Her experience includes content strategy, digital marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, analytics, and community engagement. Hannah is passionate about creating clear, informative content that reflects Waterford Bank’s commitment to trusted relationships, financial education, and strengthening the communities it serves. Want to connect with our team? Contact us here.
