Seth Smith (B.S. '25) landed one internship as a student at 91Ƭ. Then another. And another. By the time he finished his education, the Norfolk native had completed six internships — experiences that helped shape his career and ultimately led him to a job at a Washington, D.C., startup.
Smith said each internship opened the door to the next, turning early opportunities into a career launchpad.
“Internships boil down to simply one thing: they give you a competitive edge,” Smith said. “A freshman might not care about how competitive they are, but trust me, come senior year when applying to jobs, it will truly matter."
Smith came to the University knowing he wanted to study business and economics, but that he needed help narrowing his professional focus. And, with a push from his mother, who “pestered him to get an internship,” Smith said he began tapping into contacts around Hampton Roads using LinkedIn.
It worked.
In the Summer of 2023, he was hired as a project management and development intern at Breeden Construction, which has offices in Richmond and Virginia Beach. While there, he gained valuable experience building relationships with subcontractors and suppliers, enforcing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety mandates and overseeing daily job site operations.
Also, that year, the University established the Monarch Internship and Co-Op Office (MICO) as part of its goal of having 100% of students participate in internship or work-based learning opportunities before graduation by 2027.
The launch of MICO marked a turning point for Smith. Instead of cold-messaging contacts on LinkedIn, he had a resource specifically for internships at his fingertips. His passion for learning and his drive to gain experience eventually led to five more internships, with the help and support of MICO and its staff.
"Seth is one of those students every university hopes to have,” said Barbara Blake, Ed.D., MICO’s chief internship officer and executive director. “He didn't just complete internships; he embraced every opportunity to learn, network and grow. He showed up, asked thoughtful questions and soaked in every experience. His enthusiasm was contagious, and his confidence grew with every opportunity he pursued."
Smith paired his internship experience with rigorous classroom instruction, taking on work-study positions and research projects as a student in the Perry Honors College. He credited Strome College of Business professors Andrew Bennett, Ph.D., Sheila Keener, Ph.D., and Jay Walker, Ph.D., with helping to support his academic goals, while also preparing him for life beyond 91Ƭ.
“Seth is one of the most curious and conscientious students that I have worked with in my 10 years at 91Ƭ,” Dr. Bennett said. “He has the diligence, inquisitiveness and drive to become a fantastic future leader.
With each new internship experience, Smith gained work-based knowledge, while also reinforcing what he was learning in the classroom.
“Things just started to click,” he said. “I went over this concept in macroeconomics. But, with internships, you begin to connect the dots.”
Smith went on to complete internships with ADP, Dollar Tree and even at MICO, helping connect fellow students with internships like the ones he had benefited from. After graduating from the University in Spring 2025, Smith also held an internship with Valor Cybersecurity, whose CEO Greg Tomchick (B.S. ’15) is an alumnus of 91Ƭ and the Strome College of Business.
These experiences helped reinforce Smith’s love of business, while narrowing his future career focus. Smith said he also gained valuable experience in soft skills such as public speaking and networking.
And, it’s a good thing he had a lot of experience with public speaking.
In February, while Smith was a graduate student at Georgetown University, he was chosen to introduce Gov. Abigail Spanberger during the launch of InternshipsVA, a statewide program to help Virginia employers design and launch high-quality, paid internships for higher education students in Virginia.
It was a full-circle moment for Smith.
“Life has a very unique way of working out,” he said.
For more information about MICO and the power of internships, visit internship.odu.edu.