Winsupply Inc. is working with the University of Dayton to double the number of internship opportunities, providing work experience and hands-on learning opportunities to 20 students next year.

The Dayton-based company welcomes UD students as interns for work that includes auditing and e-commerce, in majors that range from management information systems to engineering. Winsupply provides administrative support services to more than 600 local Winsupply companies across the nation.

"University of Dayton students continue to impress us with their academics, talent and eagerness to learn new technologies at quick paces, and we provide them with a unique hands-on work experience with plenty of exposure," said Winsupply Vice President of IT Christopher Schrameck. “Winsupply is fortunate to have really good tenure with employees, but as the company grows, we need more talented people to fill the roles."

Two UD seniors with very different majors interned in summer 2021; their experiences blossomed into part-time jobs. 

Finance major Ian O’Leary interned as a business intelligence analyst, gaining experience writing code and programming, two high-demand skills he expects will enhance his opportunities in the job market. 

“The company is invested in building your skills,” O’Leary said. “Something awesome about Winsupply is that they took risks with us. I had some prior programming experience with SQL and Python going in, but not a lot, and when I graduate I will have a year’s worth of experience. They want you to leave here being the best equipped you can be.”

Schrameck, who oversaw the project that O’Leary was working on, spoke about O’Leary’s growth: “Over the course of the project Ian started to question more decisions and suggested alternative approaches which improved the end product for the company. This demonstrated the growth in his confidence and larger role with the team.” 

Communication major Samantha Paradiso said her work with the Winsupply communications department is closely aligned to what she has learned in the classroom. The experience adds tangible examples of her skills to her portfolio, including published articles in Winsupply’s internal magazine and press releases.

“Of the internships I have completed, I gained the most experience out of the Winsupply internship because of the amount of work they trusted me with and the resources they provided. I’m just grateful for these opportunities I’ve been given. I feel much more prepared to enter the workforce after graduating because of this internship,” Paradiso said.

Winsupply Inc. Director of Communications Adam Marshall was impressed with Paradiso’s work. “Sam has been a phenomenal addition to the communications and marketing team. She has outpaced expectations from day one so much so that I asked to keep her on the team during the school year. She truly wants to succeed, and that’s what we see from a lot of UD interns.”

With Winsupply's commitment to double the number of internship opportunities next year, and the company's continued growth, even more students will be able to gain valuable skills and experiences.

"We are very proud to partner with Winsupply,” said Jason Eckert, executive director of UD career services. “I think what they do and their mission is very impressive, and they're growing. Being so close to campus, it's really an outstanding, stable and strong internship site."

Matthew Little, director of internships and corporate relations in the School of Business Administration, said Winsupply's experience is indicative of why UD interns are sought by companies. 

“Employers really love this spirit that UD students bring when it comes to how they connect with the team,” Little said. “The value the students have for improving not just their own experience, but everyone's, is visible in their work. It's not just the quality of work and the work ethic, but it's also the quality of character and personality that our students bring to the table.”