Grant Lewis’ MBA Intern Experience with Deloitte

Interview by Deepti Singh

MBA Class of 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grant Lewis – Deloitte Summer Associate

What company did you intern with this summer? Which program and/or functional area were you a part of?

I interned with Deloitte this summer. I was a part of the Strategy & Analytics Offering Portfolio team.

What brought you this role/ company?

I am interested in consulting because it gives me an opportunity to explore diverse experiences, working with a wide range of clients, industries, and business functions. As I networked, I was impressed with the level of expertise at Deloitte in areas I was interested in, and I felt immersing myself amongst these leaders would help accelerate my learning and development. Finally, I would classify myself as a problem solver at heart, and consulting allows me to tackle difficult and multifaceted issues that clients face.

More specifically in terms of Deloitte, throughout the networking process I was impressed with how the firm was supportive of my journey and listened to my goals. I developed strong relationships with the Deloitte team, and I felt that I fit into the culture. Additionally, Deloitte also has a strong presence in life sciences & healthcare, which is the industry I am most interested in. I connected with a few leaders during the recruiting process in this industry that I really trusted and wanted to work with.

What project(s) did you work on?

I worked on a health equity project with an NGO. The project was focused on aligning leaders across industry, government, and civil society to invest and address health disparities. My role was to help quantify the impact of health equity investments at the organization and society level. I did this by developing tools and dashboards to help companies measure and visualize their impact.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome, and what did you learn from it?

The biggest challenge I had to overcome was coming up to speed quickly on international ESG reporting standards. The verbiage in some of these standards is complex and detailed, so it was important I understood them so I could be effective in my role.

How was your experience networking with different colleagues at your company?

My experience networking with different colleagues at Deloitte was positive. The internship experience allowed me to connect with practitioners in a variety of offering portfolios and industries. Everyone was responsive, kind, and eager to share about their Deloitte journey. Through my networking, I was able to seek out opportunities across the firm, and even picked up an internal initiative in the Life Science R&D practice. The many conversations with practitioners gave me clarity on the industries and engagements I wanted to pursue upon my return.

Has this experience changed your overall career goals? Did you identify any skills that you would like to develop as you return for the second year of the MBA program?

This internship did not change my career goals, it confirmed them. Going into this internship I was leaning towards pursuing a career in consulting, and I now have clarity Deloitte is the best next step in my career.

I have identified new skills that I would like to develop in the second year of my MBA program. Tactically, being efficient in commonly used software tools will allow me to transition smoother into a full-time role. In terms of other skills, I want to refine my coaching ability and ability to manage client relationships. I feel those two skills will be critical at the Sr. Consultant level, and I am seeking out initiatives this year, like Globase, which allow me to test both skills.

Are there any suggestions you would give to future students that are about to begin their summer internship?

My advice is to have a voice and bring a fresh perspective, because your company will listen.