For Gabriela, pursuing an internship was about more than strengthening her résumé. As a cognitive science student on the Decision track who is also double-majoring in economics, she wanted hands-on experience that would help her become a stronger candidate for full-time employment—and give her a clearer sense of which careers she might enjoy.
“Getting experience would allow me to decide whether I like certain roles or not,” Gabriela said, noting that an internship could help her narrow the types of positions she wanted to pursue.
She found her opportunity through via AEG Fuels website. Throughout the application process, the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Opportunity Hub became an important resource. Gabriela met regularly with Samantha, a career advisor who offered guidance on résumés, cover letters, interviews, and other parts of the internship search.
“She was always eager to answer my many questions, and it was great to have someone to check in with to keep me on track,” Gabriela said.
Combining Analytics and Relationship-Building
Gabriela joined AEG Fuels, an aviation fuel provider and international trip support company, as a Strategy and Analytics Intern. She worked with the General Aviation Sales team, providing data-driven insights to support its work.
Her responsibilities included analyzing customer activity, preparing reports, supporting business development operations, setting up data systems, and making cold calls. The position gave her opportunities to build both technical and interpersonal skills while contributing to a collaborative, customer-facing team.
Her cognitive science coursework proved especially valuable. COGSCI 446: Generative Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science gave her a foundation in artificial intelligence concepts and large language models. That knowledge helped her understand discussions about artificial intelligence tools and contribute meaningfully when working with colleagues.
Gabriela also drew on the perspective she developed through the Decision track. Her understanding of how people think, make choices, and work together helped her navigate a role that required collaboration and frequent customer interaction.
Learning a New Industry
Gabriela began the internship without prior aviation experience, making the industry’s terminology and processes an early challenge. During her first week, she spent significant time studying company resources that explained the aviation fuel industry.
She also asked questions and connected with employees across the company to learn about their responsibilities and how each role contributed to the organization’s larger goals. Her initiative helped her quickly build industry knowledge and become comfortable in a previously unfamiliar field.
By the end of the summer, she had strengthened her Excel, PowerPoint, sales, and communication skills. She had also developed a working knowledge of aviation vocabulary and operations.
“Now, I nerd out every time I’m at an airport,” she said.
One of Gabriela’s proudest accomplishments was contributing to a presentation deck used in discussions with a potential partner. Through feedback and guidance from her company mentors, she refined her work and produced a final result she was proud to support.
Taking Initiative and Building Trust
Gabriela encourages other cognitive science students to step outside their comfort zones when searching for internships. Cold emails, LinkedIn outreach, and other forms of networking may feel intimidating, she noted, but taking initiative can lead to meaningful opportunities.
Once an internship begins, Gabriela believes students should focus on earning their team’s trust. For her, that means asking questions, taking careful notes, connecting with colleagues throughout the organization, volunteering for additional work, and approaching every interaction with respect and curiosity.
She also emphasizes the importance of being attentive, dependable, kind, and personable. Those habits can help interns learn more while demonstrating that they are invested in their team and the organization.
Looking Ahead
The internship helped Gabriela refine her career goals. She had long known that she wanted a role involving people or clients, but her experience at AEG Fuels revealed how much she also enjoyed working with data.
As a result, she began tailoring her junior-year internship search toward positions that balance analytics with relationship-building. Her experience also showed her that cognitive science can be useful in unexpected professional settings.
Whether she was interacting with customers in person or over the phone, Gabriela relied on the human-centered approach fostered by her cognitive science studies. Combined with her economics background, technical skills, and growing business experience, that perspective helped her contribute to the team while developing a clearer vision for her future career.
