Every summer, Entergy welcomes a new class of interns eager to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. But for two exceptional interns within the Enterprise Environmental and Enterprise Safety organizations, Anna Newman and Cassidy MacLean, their experience excelling in their internships this past summer did more than just add to their resumes – it launched their careers.
Why mentorship makes a difference
Pictured: Anna Newman
Newman is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas and a recent graduate of Louisiana State University, where she obtained her master’s in environmental sciences. Completing her internship with the environmental project services team not only prepared her to take on a full-time role in any organization – but it solidified her as a great fit for a position here at Entergy.
“The internship exceeded my expectations. I never imagined I could receive so much support while working and learning about various topics in my field. During my internship, I was able to utilize my research capabilities, execute multiple environmental screenings using our Maximo system and complete more than 100 projects under the environmental projects services group. My team aided me every step of the way and was always prepared to lend a helping hand if needed,” Newman said.
MacLean, raised in The Woodlands, Texas, also had a similar experience. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in environmental studies with a minor in economics and recently completed her internship under the fossil safety team.
“I enjoyed learning about how the utility industry works and felt very encouraged to learn and grow while working in the plants during my internship. After seeing the bigger picture of what we do every day for each other and how we power life for our customers, I knew Entergy was the place for me.”
What factors determine a great internship
Pictured: Cassidy MacLean
The goal of an internship is to give the intern the experience that they need to be successful in the field. Our aim for internships at Entergy is to maximize the program for entry-level recruitment. Brandon DeVito, senior manager for environmental project services, and David Schweizer, supervisor of safety for fossil fuels, led both MacLean and Newman through their internship experiences.
“It’s highly important that these three things take place to ensure a successful internship – maintain broad learning in their discipline, make sure that they are involved in meetings and site visits to increase exposure and equip them with insightful training sessions and mentors from across the organization,” DeVito said. “This ensures that interns gain a full perspective of not just completing a task, but how that task affects the organization and business as a whole.”
Ensuring interns develop the skills needed to be successful in the workplace is vital to a successful program. “Checking in on your interns needs often while giving them space to grow solidifies that they get the development that they need while also teaching independence,” Schweizer said.
A commitment to workforce development
Since 2020, Entergy has converted 288 student interns into full-time employees, demonstrating the sustained effectiveness of our internship program as a strategic talent acquisition pipeline. With a strong pipeline of tested talent and a proven strategy to impact inclusiveness in the workforce, our organization has recognized the significant value of our internship program. Conversions are strategically concentrated in mission-critical functions – nuclear (27.7%), power delivery (20.9%) and project delivery (17.1%) – where 56% of interns transition into Engineer I roles across nuclear, transmission and utility disciplines. Many converted interns advance to higher-level positions within our organization, demonstrating clear career progression pathways. These metrics, combined with targeted placement in core technical functions and sustained year-over-year conversions, highlight the effectiveness of our internship program in developing valuable members of our team.
Interested in pursuing an internship here at Entergy? Apply here.
