Lucy Alford
“Oakworth treats their people, from clients to associates, like family, and it’s been a privilege to get to be a part of it over the past few months.”
When I first sat down with my advisor to talk about internships for this summer, I mentioned Oakworth first. Based on the presentation Forest Whatley gave in my professional development class, along with their excellent reputation, I knew I would be lucky to get to learn from a company so strong in their core values. That turns out to have been an understatement. My expectations for this summer were high, but the past ten weeks with Oakworth have exceeded them and more.
From day one at Oakworth University, even as interns, we got to sit beside full-time hires at a Q&A with all of the Leadership Team. When we started each rotation, associates were kind enough not only to meet with us about what they do, but to take us out to lunch and get to know us better. The bank even celebrated a few associates’ weddings with a shower. Oakworth treats their people, from clients to associates, like family, and it’s been a privilege to get to be a part of it over the past few months.
The community alone was enough for me to love my job. Our day-to-day work made it even better. In credit, we got to assist in some of the credit analysts’ underwriting. In wealth, we built plans with the financial planning analysts and sat in on meetings with the Investment Committee. Getting to participate in some of the same projects as associates provided meaningful learning opportunities and gave me hands-on experience in the banking industry. I’m grateful to have gotten to intern at a company who pours into their interns so well.
During that meeting about my internship search, my advisor highly recommended the position at Oakworth and encouraged me to pursue it. She also gave me some valuable advice. Reminding me I’ll spend more time with coworkers than family, she said to work for a company you trust to influence you. Being influenced by Oakworth has meant being led by example to work and live in a way that upholds their core values. I’ll always be thankful for the impact Oakworth has had on me, which will reach far beyond just this summer.
Hometown: Dothan, AL
School: Auburn University
Major: Finance and English
One fun fact about you: I lived in London last summer and got to be there for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Hidden Talent: Piano
What kind of superpower would you like to have? Flying or super-speed
What’s your favorite part about your internship? Getting to be a part of socials and events! Oakworth does such a great job of bringing everyone together. Within the first couple of weeks, we got to go to a Meet the Interns social and a wedding shower. It just goes to show how much Oakworth cares about their people.
Most valuable thing you’ve learned? Culture is everything. It was fun to come into work every day because of the people and the atmosphere at the bank.
Favorite department: Wealth
Favorite memory: Corporate Challenge (with client site visits coming in a close second).
Tips for future summer associates: Take every opportunity to get to know everyone at Oakworth! They’re all incredible and so willing to teach.
Graves Aughtman
“Oakworth is perfect for students who are eager to learn and develop meaningful relationships with their co-workers.”
My name is Graves Aughtman and I am a rising junior at Auburn University majoring in Finance. I love to play pickle ball, basketball, and go to any Auburn games whenever I can. I am a member of Auburn’s Financial Management Association (FMA) honor society and this is how I first heard of Oakworth’s internship.
Something that made Oakworth stand out to me from other internships was the rotational function of it. Oakworth is perfect for students who are eager to learn and develop meaningful relationships with their co-workers. I think my favorite part about this internship has been the relationships I made while here. If all you do is accomplish tasks while you are here, you are missing out! Sitting down with people, getting to hear their advice, and learning more about them as a person was one of the most significant things, I was able to do during my internship. It is important to make sure you are learning how to increase your knowledge of your rotation and also get to know your mentors. They are your mentors specific to your rotation but do not let that title limit the types of questions you can ask them about banking and life in general. Another aspect of the internship that I enjoyed was being able to speak to the loan committee and pitch our loan. This is great practice for one’s professionalism, public speaking skills, and credit knowledge all rolled into one project. As this internship begins to wrap up, I can say confidently that I am not only leaving Oakworth with an in-depth understanding of the bank, but meaningful relationships, training in professionalism, and public speaking skills that will stay with me for years to come.
Hometown: Montgomery, AL
School: Auburn University
Major: Finance
One fun fact about you: I plan on going back to school get my MBA one day
Hidden Talent: I can build a computer
What kind of superpower would you like to have? Flying
What’s your favorite part about your internship? Being able to make real contributions
Most valuable thing you’ve learned? What to look for when evaluating a client for a loan
Favorite department: Credit
Favorite memory: Going on an intern hike at Red Mountain
Tips for future summer associates: If you only accomplish tasks while you are here you are doing it wrong. Make sure to get the most out of your time with Oakworth by building relationships and learning from senior bankers.
Tate Button
“The associates are welcoming and truly supportive of the work the interns do, and leadership takes the time to get to know you and help you grow in a professional capacity.”
The Oakworth summer internship program has been by far my favorite summer experience. Beyond applying programming skills in a practical environment, I’ve learned a ton about project structure and long term maintenance. I had never thought about preparing code for an audit, or about separating database operations from the program that integrates the data, or mitigating technical debt. This internship has furthered my understanding of both low level and high- level aspects of software development, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this experience. Seeing your project being deployed on production is a great feeling, and I was thrilled to contribute to Oakworth’s goals. The associates are welcoming and truly supportive of the work the interns do, and leadership takes the time to get to know you and help you grow in a professional capacity.
The best experience I had this summer was prototyping a full stack deposit account opening application. Potential future iterations of the project are proposed to include account maintenance, depreciate Smartsheet, allow secured remote access, and integrate with other members of the Oakworth tech ecosystem. I had the opportunity to work closely with operations to understand the scope and flow of the process, and was able to demo for leadership at the end of the summer. Oakworth takes its digital transformation seriously, and I would strongly recommend this internship to anyone interested in financial technology and data driven processes.
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
School: The University of Alabama
Major: Computer Science
One fun fact about you: My hidden talent is debugging. The secret is using a million little print statements that all say “here” until you finally figure out exactly where your code is breaking.
Hidden Talent: My hidden talent is debugging. The secret is using a million little print statements that all say “here” until you finally figure out exactly where your code is breaking.
What kind of superpower would you like to have? My superpower is eating obscene amounts of chicken and rice.
What’s your favorite part about your internship? My favorite part of the internship has been prototyping a full stack application. I had no experience in front end development or database architecture, so developing these skills in a practical environment was a blast.
Most valuable thing you’ve learned? The most valuable thing I learned was how to write clean, reusable, production-ready code that is easy to maintain. Project scopes and requirements shift frequently, and so does your approach as it develops. Make sure that what you’re writing is flexible enough to go with the flow.
Favorite department: Data (also operations)
Favorite memory: My favorite memory was winning the drawing/communication contest with Carsen when we did Oakworth University.
Tips for future summer associates: Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Look at the projects, pick one, and dive in. Oakworth places an emphasis on “right people, right seat.” The data division at Oakworth is new enough that you can influence the definition of the “right seat.” Take advantage of that- make the seat right for you.
Cody Hendon
“It feels like every bank lists their ‘Strong culture’ as one of the greatest things that separates them from the rest, and to an extent I am sure that they do, but Oakworth goes above and beyond and then some in that regard.”
Hi! My name is Cody Hendon, and I am rising senior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, majoring Finance with a concentration in Investments and Institutions. I am originally from Trussville, AL and I graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School in 2020. Outside of school, I love going to the gym and staying active. Along with that, I also love thrift shopping and am always hunting for a great deal!
I had initially come across Oakworth while searching for internships during the Fall of 2022. I knew that I wanted to go into banking because my mom has worked in the industry all of her life and it seemed like something I would really enjoy. As I was applying and interviewing for intern positions, I had a difficult time finding somewhere that I actually thought I would enjoy working. It feels like every bank lists their ‘Strong culture” as one of the greatest things that separates them from the rest, and to an extent I am sure that they do, but Oakworth goes above and beyond and then some in that regard.
Along with the clearly great and positive work environment that Oakworth provides, they also offered a unique opportunity to do rotations around the bank throughout the course of your internship. This type of experience is invaluable to somebody who has no clue what they want to do with the rest of their life (and who would at 20 years old). Oakworth has now given me exposure in the two largest portions of the bank: credit and wealth. I cannot overstate how much I have learned over the course of the last couple months, but I would venture to say that this is the most valuable information I have learned over a 2-month time span in my entire life.
Looking forward, I feel much more confident in what I want to do in terms of my future, and for that I can thank Oakworth. The people here and the culture that they have curated is truly special and I cannot begin to thank them enough for the opportunity I have been granted!
Hometown: Trussville, AL
School: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Major: Finance, with a concentration in Investments and Institutions.
One fun fact about you:I randomly answered questions on a statewide Forensic Accounting competition and placed 2nd.
Hidden Talent: Curl Maintenance for my hair
What kind of superpower would you like to have? Spider powers (I really like Spider-Man)
What’s your favorite part about your internship? The people! Everybody here is so interesting and provides great perspective during our conversations.
Most valuable thing you’ve learned? Just how vital a positive work environment/culture is, it makes me genuinely excited to come to work every day.
Favorite department: It is impossible to pick for me. I hate to say I loved them both but there really is not one I would rather do than the other, they are just different.
Favorite memory: Going out to eat with Mac and Kara after we completed our Wealth project was probably my favorite. I had the best BBQ chicken sandwich I had in my entire life and we came back to the office smelling like a smokehouse for the rest of the day.
Tips for future summer associates: Ask questions and don’t be afraid to fail. You learn more from 1 failure than 1000 successes.
Carsen Piacsek
“From the very start, I could tell that this would be much more than just a typical internship program. I was immediately welcomed into the Oakworth culture with open arms, and I was given a green light to work on real data projects going on inside the bank.”
The Oakworth summer internship program has been nothing short of outstanding. From the very start, I could tell that this would be much more than just a typical internship program. I was immediately welcomed into the Oakworth culture with open arms, and I was given a green light to work on real data projects going on inside the bank. Over the past 10 weeks, I have worked with amazing people from different segments of the bank and completed some very beneficial projects for them. Some of the highlights of my summer have been developing new data dashboards for the leadership team, working on database connections, and attending many of Oakworth’s social events throughout the summer! The hands-on approach to the internship has allowed me to gain actual work experience I can take with me and implement anywhere that I go. As a college student, it is invaluable to be able to get the kind of experience Oakworth offers!
I first heard of Oakworth through a faculty member from the STEM Path to MBA Program that I am currently in at The University of Alabama. I was instantly intrigued by the opportunity to work in a data analytics role inside of a traditional financial institution, and upon further research, I wanted to gain a better understanding of the culture of the firm that is proudly displayed on the website. Throughout the interview process, Oakworth’s commitment to their core values was made very clear, and I was very excited to get the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and get to know associates from around the firm. The sense of culture that I gathered from the interview process is continuously proven every day that I come into work, and I could not have asked for a better fit for myself this summer.
Oakworth was very accommodating to my responsibilities as a student from the very beginning, allowing me to begin my 10-week internship earlier than the rest of the intern class so that I would be able to attend the study abroad trip that I had planned to Portugal for the last month of the summer. The 10 weeks that I have been here have flown by, and I could not have asked for a better experience both professionally and socially. Oakworth has exceeded all expectations I had for an internship, allowing me to learn, work, and have fun all at once. I am so grateful for the time I have spent at Oakworth as an intern, and I have built friendships that will last far beyond this summer. Oakworth is a truly special place, and I could not recommend it highly enough to any prospective interns or associates.
Hometown: Waukesha, WI
School: The University of Alabama
Major: Mechanical Engineering
One fun fact about you: I once ate an entire watermelon in one sitting
Hidden Talent: Puzzle solving
What kind of superpower would you like to have? Precognition- Being able to see into the future
What’s your favorite part about your internship? Getting the opportunity to meet so many new associates
Favorite department: The data team, for sure. Those guys know how to get things done
Favorite memory: Participating in the Birmingham Corporate Challenge with fellow associates
Tips for future summer associates: Take every opportunity to get to know the people here, as they have so much to offer you
Grace Schlenker
“I know I’m leaving Oakworth with more than just an internship to put on my resume. I’m leaving with an abundance of new knowledge, mentors, friends, and memories.”
My name is Grace Schlenker and I am a rising senior at Auburn University. I first heard about Oakworth at a Women in Business career fair where I talked to two current associates, Alice Womack and Melissa Mann. They were two of the kindest people I talked to that day and I really enjoyed my conversation with them. I could tell how strong the company culture was by how genuine Alice and Melissa were as they shared their own Oakworth experiences. When deciding on an internship, Oakworth’s people, their focus on their core values and the rotational aspect of the internship made it an easy choice.
I think my favorite part about this internship is that I was always learning something new. In our wealth rotation, we learned how to go through the entire process of creating a financial plan for a client. In credit, we learned about the underwriting process and got to complete our own mock loan committee project. Outside of our main projects, we shadowed associates, sat in on meetings, Investment Committee and Loan Committee, and were encouraged to ask questions whenever possible. I was never overwhelmed with work, but I was also never bored wishing I had something to work on. A large reason why the learning environment was so great was because of the people. Associates constantly encouraged us to ask questions, offered additional projects and opportunities, and really got to know us.
As this summer ends, I know I’m leaving Oakworth with more than just an internship to put on my resume. I’m leaving with an abundance of new knowledge, mentors, friends, and memories. I’ve truly enjoyed every moment of this summer and I’m incredibly thankful to have had this opportunity.
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
School: Auburn University
Major: Finance & Marketing
One fun fact about you: My family has a small alpaca ranch back home.
Hidden Talent: More of a hobby than a talent, but I love to paint.
What kind of superpower would you like to have? Flying
What’s your favorite part about your internship? One of my favorite projects was creating a mock financial plan for two associates while in the wealth rotation. I also loved getting closer with the other finance and data interns; they made the internship so much fun!
Most valuable thing you’ve learned? A more in depth understanding of financial statements and tax returns.
Favorite department: Wealth
Favorite memory: The Corporate Challenge was by far one of my favorite memories. No better way to start off the summer than by watching associates play tug of war!
Tips for future summer associates: Ask lots of questions and get to know the associates in the office! They are all incredibly nice and you can learn so much from them.