Ohio Northern University student Tyler Wood chose a double major in finance and accounting because of the variety of career options. This summer, his credit internship with Waterford Bank N.A. in Toledo is showing him how wide those options really are.
“Before this, I wasn’t aware of how many career paths existed in the banking industry beyond the traditional bank teller role,” he says.
Tyler, whose hometown is Toledo, has always enjoyed working with numbers and using analytical thinking to solve problems. He credits ONU with not only helping him to obtain the internship, but for requiring that all business students complete one.
“My coursework and experiences at ONU gave me the confidence, knowledge, and skillset to successfully navigate the interview process,” he says. “And I’m so grateful that the Dicke College of Business requires a professional experience before you graduate.”
As a credit intern, Tyler is responsible for loan underwriting, which includes analyzing business and personal financial statements, spreading these statements into the bank’s analysis software, and providing interpretation on the write ups. His assignments have become increasingly complex as the internship progresses.
“The biggest surprise,” he says, “has been how little I have been treated like an intern and how much I have been trusted as a meaningful contributor to the bank’s success.”
On a broad level, he’s seeing how community banks make a direct impact on the people and businesses they serve. At a practical level, he’s developing vital skills, such as how to follow and interpret high-level financial discussions, evaluate lending decisions, and understand the factors that influence loan approvals.
He credits the Waterford team for being outstanding mentors. “Everyone is incredibly welcoming, approachable, and always willing to answer questions, which has made it easy to learn and grow,” he says.
