It’s widely known that internships can be great primers to the professional world. Yet fierce competition and the possibility of mindless tasks or absentee mentors can make it hard for students to gain meaningful experience. Fortunately for Principia College students, there’s a global network of Principia alumni—ranging from successful entrepreneurs and environmental champions to corporate leaders and more—who believe in paying it forward. 

For junior Jesús Soto Bossa (C’27), utilizing Principia’s alumni network was a no-brainer. “It’s not easy getting an internship, especially as an international student. I thought my chances might be a little better if I connected with an alum.” So, he took to LinkedIn, determined and prepared, and began messaging Principia alumni in marketing careers. That’s how he connected with Ellie (Clark) Victor (US’81, C’85), CEO and founder of ZOOM Marketing in Palo Alto, California. 

"Just listening to people who have so much experience and background in marketing was a great way to learn."

“I immediately knew he was someone special,” says Victor. “And while I was interested in mentoring a Principia student, I wasn’t sure I had the time.” She introduced Jesús to the rest of her team, and although they agreed he was impressive, they shared her concern about having the time to take on an intern. “I had to tell him no, and it broke my heart because I felt it was a mistake.” Victor searched her contacts for other leads for Soto Bossa, but when he still hadn’t secured an internship, she knew what she had to do. “I said, ‘That’s it. I’ll manage him myself.’”  

She only had one rule for the rising junior: “I told him, ‘Don’t ask a single question of, or create any work for, anyone else but me.’” And with that, the two hit the ground running. Soto Bossa sat in on meetings first with the team and eventually with executives, learning by watching. “Just listening to people who have so much experience and background in marketing was a great way to learn,” he says.  

Victor gave him honest feedback on his ideas but never discouraged him from sharing. “When meeting with the team, I’d often ask, ‘What do you think, Jesús?’ He never missed a beat. Every single time, he had an insightful observation or recommendation.” But Jesús’ crowning moment was still to come.  

During a difficult meeting where Victor's team struggled to find a solution to a messaging issue, Jesús sent her an idea. Impressed by his suggestion, she shared it with the team, who emphatically agreed it was the answer they’d been looking for. “He really won the team over with that,” she says. “He solved something that we were struggling with, and it felt like a turning point.”  

Read Victor’s LinkedIn post celebrating her team’s extraordinary intern! 

Principia connections don’t just happen on LinkedIn, they thrive on campus, too. Last spring, junior Nina Okike (C’27) was looking for an internship.  After several dead ends, the chemical engineering major and sustainability minor turned to her department for help. “I said, ‘I really want something in the field of chemical engineering that is sustainability and climate action focused,’ because that's what my passion is.”  

A tall order for sure, but nothing is impossible for Principia’s alumni network. “Professor Dr. Nick Johnson (C’04) reached out to me at the start of the summer and said, ‘I have something for you.’” That something was an internship with Bill Brandt (C'76), Director of Arizona State University’s LightWorks program, a project dedicated to discovering and inventing energy solutions. Nina jumped at the chance. “We were working on a project called Biomass to X, which explored sustainable uses for biomass left over from forest thinning.” Nina’s job was to pull together and summarize research on the use, viability, and sustainability of the project. “I was looking up things like how could this work? What’s the potential market for something like this? Who could be a potential buyer or seller? Then they’d take that information to stakeholders and investors.”  

“It felt amazing to know that Principia alumni are reaching back out to help students."

“Nina’s story was all about jumping into the project,” says Brandt. “Our project was moving around and reshaping itself, so she had to be adaptable. Nina joining the project ended up being the best-case scenario, because she learned something, and we actually used her research.”  

This symbiotic relationship between alum and student was noted by Victor as well. “I think it was a mutual benefit, because I learned what the new generation of marketers was thinking, and Jesús benefited from my experience and guidance.” She continues, “I believe that I will be in touch with Jesús for years to come. I love that I've made this connection.” 

And in the end, “connection” is at the heart of it all. Whether it’s a partnership between alumni, the students, or both, Principians know the power of a helping hand. “I'm quite happy to give back,” says Brandt. “And what better way to do it than at an institution that gave to me?” 

“Doing an internship with an alum is amazing because you feel safe,” says Soto Bossa. “You feel confident you're going to a place that will value your time and appreciate you. It's easier to knock on someone's door who has a similar background to you than to ask help from a stranger. Alumni are changing Principia students’ lives.”  

Okike echoed his sentiments. “It felt amazing to know that Principia alumni are reaching back out to help students. What Principia is doing for other students like me makes me feel capable. I’m so grateful to Mr. Brandt, Principia, and the donors who made this possible!”  

Sign up today to share your expertise with Principia students!