How Nasdaq's Internship Fosters A Culture of Problem Solving for Hannah Goodfriend

This year, we are doing Nasdaq’s annual internship program a little differently. As we navigate the coronavirus pandemic, we have turned circumstance into a learning opportunity for interns joining us this year to participate in meaningful and long-term projects. Through the Nasdaq Futures Internship Program, we offer a variety of professional experiences for emerging talent through an immersive 10 to 12-week virtual internship program. 

From Stockholm to US, meet few of the bright minds joining us digitally from all around the world. They are playing integral, “hands on” roles to help Nasdaq #RewriteTomorrow.

Today, we speak with Hannah Goodfriend, a second-year intern working on our internal communications team. She is a recent graduate from New York University with a major in English. 

Tell us a little bit more about your role.

My role is to prepare and distribute emails, articles, and write-ups, allowing for organized communication between and within several business units at Nasdaq. I also work to enhance employee engagement by organizing events such as Take Your Dog to Work Day and our annual Shark Week celebration. Ultimately, I would say my role at Nasdaq is to help create a fun and cohesive global work environment while also ensuring seamless communication between departments.

Why were you eager to do an internship at Nasdaq?

As this is my second summer at Nasdaq, I would say that the work environment and my coworkers are what made me eager to continue my internship. The culture at Nasdaq has an incredible ability to foster independence and individual problem solving while simultaneously providing all the assistance and support I could ask for. Nasdaq genuinely cares about the health, happiness, and productivity of its employees, more so than any other company with which I have worked. I feel valued and respected by my coworkers and managers, which makes my daily tasks enjoyable and fruitful.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about working here, and on your team?

I think the most interesting thing I’ve learned here at Nasdaq is the importance of employee engagement and culture. Making employees feel valued, respected, cared for, and safe is essential to retaining employees in the long-term. Moreover, employee engagement initiatives are such an important opportunity to integrate the personal life of employees into professional and corporate life. Employee engagement initiatives allow for deeper connections between coworkers, and with such a fun and personal work environment, employees are eager to come to work and to work hard to maintain their jobs. 

Tell us about the most exciting project you’ve worked on so far.

My most exciting project here at Nasdaq was assisting in the Amplifying Black Voices series. In commemoration of Juneteenth, Nasdaq Marketsite was transformed into a rotating virtual art gallery that displayed Black Lives Matter while spotlighting the work of Black artists. During this time of political unrest in America, it was so humbling and gratifying to be able to give Black artists a highly public platform to display their artwork and an important message. Participating in the Amplifying Black Voices series made me incredibly proud of to be a part of the Nasdaq family.

What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your time here?

I hope the end of this summer is not the end of my time here. My goal is to be a permanent part of the Nasdaq family. This is truly such a unique and exceptional company, and I would be so grateful to continue my time here in the Internal Communications department.

Your advice for interns next year?

Keep following up! If your emails are going unanswered, keep emailing day after day until you get an answer. Your work is important. Make sure all projects you have assisted with have been completed, or are in the process of being completed. Speak with your manager about what more can you do to help out your coworkers. Ask plenty of questions about timelines and how you can make progress on your summer project. The summer goes by fast, and you don’t want to waste a minute.

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