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Slipping Into Success: How SLIP Equips the Next Generation

Launched in the summer of 2021, GM Financial’s Sophomore Leadership Internship Program (SLIP) continued its streak of success and growth by welcoming a fourth cohort of students to the program. SLIP was created as a rare opportunity for sophomores in college to gain in-depth corporate experience early in their college careers, creating an even more robust talent pipeline for GM Financial.

Talent acquisition and professional development are not the only benefits of the program, though, as the interns themselves are relying on this internship to provide more than just a line on their resume. Here, they discuss the distinct attributes that attracted them to the program, and they reflect on their goals for this summer and beyond.

Future Focus

Few students enter college knowing precisely what career they want to pursue, so many explore different areas of study in college and choose a related career. Shriya Punreddy, a SLIP intern from the University of Texas at Austin, is flipping the script. She is getting firsthand corporate experience straight out of freshman year, and this internship will help her determine her specified major this upcoming semester.

“I’m about to declare my major next semester, and that’s why I’m in the SLIP program right now,” Shriya said. “It’s great at helping you figure out what major you want to pursue. You can explore different industries and fields within the company, so that’s the exciting part.”

Career Clarity

SLIP is also giving clarity for those who have already chosen their major but are still searching for a specialized field that catches their eye. Karthi Parthipan, a finance major, said he was inspired by the interns’ recent trip to GM Financial’s Corporate Treasury group.

“SLIP gives me an overview of many different departments and their teams so I can really learn about what they do and if that interests me,” he said. “I’m hoping this gives me a clearer picture of what I want to do once I graduate.”

Skill Development

Learning how GM Financial’s departments interact is a cornerstone of what the SLIP interns do. While they learn, they also develop necessary skills that will help them grow as young professionals. Interpersonal communication in the professional sphere is something that Margaret Kouassi, a rising junior at the University of Texas at Arlington, has focused on developing during her internship.

“A skill I hope to gain from this internship is networking and my ability to make connections with people.” she said. “A phrase we heard was, ‘your network is your net worth.’ I love that saying. This summer, I’m trying to develop my net worth!”

Candidate Advantages

Networking is a vital component during a job search, and having an impressive resume can be equally as helpful. For students to enter their junior year with a corporate internship already on their resume is a rare advantage, something that Kamryon Johnson, a computer science major, is well aware of.

“Just having an internship under my belt will set me apart from other job candidates in the future,” he said. “A lot of other sophomores don’t have an internship and don’t have that corporate experience yet, so the knowledge I’ll gain in just one summer can be enough to make me a standout applicant.”

Leadership Priorities

Not only are SLIP interns gaining experience and broadening their networks, but they are also becoming better leaders. The “L” (for leadership) in SLIP is sometimes overlooked but not for Braxton Lee. Majoring in management information systems at Prairie View A&M University, he says that it is a priority to him. Throughout the summer, he is focused on career development opportunities and cultivating his skills as a leader.

“It is a sophomore leadership internship program, and my goals are to become a better leader, grow my skills, become more diverse and learn new abilities,” he said.

These young leaders are being guided and mentored by other leaders as well. Shriya mentioned how encouraging it is that “the team at GM Financial has really emphasized how people in this company want to see you succeed and thrive. It’s a great feeling to know that people are genuinely invested in your success as you’re about to enter the workforce.”

SLIP serves a wide variety of purposes, and the value of the program is demonstrated by the trust that interns have placed in it. As a result, GM Financial’s pipeline of quality candidates grows with every new cohort of SLIP interns. They are starting early, moving forward with confidence and taking advantage of the opportunities before them.

By Tatum Grubb, GM Financial

Tatum enjoys writing as a creative outlet and a vessel for information and storytelling. Her constant struggle in the craft is avoiding the use of unnecessary words, such as “loquacious” and “verbose.” You can often find her at a football game in Aggieland, completing an escape room, or scoping out the nearest spot for some decadent cuts of sashimi.