Life as an Intern: Sierra Sadler

Sierra Sadler is an MBA student at the School of Management. This summer, Sierra worked as a financial intern for BP.

Why did you want to intern at BP?

I thought they had the best program - it’s set up with the college intern in mind. They push you and integrate you into the team. I thought it was the best opportunity for me to get into the field of finance.

I also like working in the oil industry. It’s fast-paced and one of the best industries to work in in Alaska. I think in the next 10 years with the natural gas pipeline, there’ll be a lot of opportunities.

What did you do as an intern?

You’re given a project with the goal to complete it give a final presentation. Each project is specific to the intern. You also go to a lot of meetings and learn the day-to-day work of what people do at BP. There was something different every day.

Compared to what you learn in the classroom to what you learn in an internship, how was that different?

I had the foundation from my classes but the interaction in the business world was what was what I learned from my internship. I also learned how to engage other people in your work and the practical aspects of setting up meetings with important people. Being concise with what information you need from them and what you’re working on. If you calculate how much they are getting paid, and you’re taking up their time – your meeting could waste thousands of dollars, so you learn to prepare. It’s more high-pressure compared to the classroom.

What advice do you have for students interested in internships?

Don’t be afraid to apply to your dream job. Internships are the key to finding a job after graduation. Apply your sophomore or junior year, that’s when you’re setting yourself up for a career. An internship makes you stand out in this economy.

What was the best thing about your internship?

BP gave me a taste of what it’s like to work there. You feel like you’re a part of the team, not just an intern.

Do you think you had an advantage coming from UAF?

I would never have known about the internship opportunity unless I was in the UAF MBA program. You hear about things around campus.



There are a lot of opportunities for networking at UAF. I learned about the internships through career fairs on campus, as well as talking with School of Management alumni. Then, at events like the Business Leader of the Year, I was able to network directly with people from BP.  I think BP is one of the companies in Alaska that really care about hiring students from UAF.

BP notices the students coming out of the UAF MBA program are staying in Alaska and they’re excelling.

You do have an advantage if you come from UAF.

Sierra has accepted a job offer from BP and will start work there in the spring.