Liberal Arts student creates industrial advancement program at summer internship

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With a heart committed to helping others through tough times and a joy for bringing passion into the workplace, Gargee Gosavi, a fourth-year Penn State student majoring in psychology with a minor in labor and human resources, took part in a summer internship with one goal: “make business better.”

With funding from the Virginia Todd Chapel Executive Internship Program, Gosavi spent the summer as a human resources intern for JLG Industries in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The Chapel Executive Internship Program supports internship experiences for high-achieving Penn State Liberal Arts students who seek top-level career development opportunities in the private business sector. The program was established by Virginia “Jinnie” Todd Chapel, a 1965 Penn State alumna who earned her degree in English, and her husband, John, with endowed gifts valued at more than $2.5 million. This year, the program granted its students $5,000 stipends for their internship experiences.

At JLG industries, Gosavi worked on resolving work-related conflicts, aiding employee retention, and identifying workplace productivity issues. She credits her Liberal Arts classes for her ability to contextualize workplace issues within a business framework. One particular class helped her learn how labor and human relations can affect and drive a business to success.

“It resonated with me and what I was learning in psychology — how brain functioning affects people’s biological functioning, well-being and behavior,” Gosavi said. “I’ve been using my internship to apply the concept of optimal human functioning into the work scenarios I investigate to find places for advancement.”

A psychology class helped her learn how mind and body are connected and how the way you think changes your perception, Gosavi said. “It’s important for all companies to build a positive workplace to support a growth mindset for their employees,” she said. “It helps employees be more effective and productive, which helps with company advancement.”

“During my internship, I worked on employee engagement, and I learned that while a lot of market research can be done to find workplace resolutions, there has to be a place for employee voices. Having employees take part in advancing a company, whether by providing ideas for a new program or just talking to them about their experiences, is beneficial to creating programs and companies that work.”

Gosavi led weekly discussion groups among JLG industry employees, from entry-level employees, managers and senior directors to company executives, in an effort to improve JLG work culture, productivity and employee satisfaction. These discussions, along with anonymous employee-distributed surveys and employee turnover data, gave Gosavi the opportunity to go “all in” on advancing the company — something she hasn’t experienced before.

“I have done a human resources internship before, but it was remote, so the internship experience was very different,” Gosavi said. “Working on site and seeing employee interactions in person has allowed me to receive explicit feedback, ask for direct guidance, and feel a sense of responsibility for things I could tangibly account for.”

Gosavi focused on employees in the JLG Industries finance department, where she created a new financial rotational program. The program, which has already found success, works to bring different employees together in cross-collaboration, teamwork and goal/target sharing.

“There’s a need for lateral and vertical movement in JLG, and I sought to find out why this was. I eventually found it was often due to employees’ not knowing each other’s job responsibilities and goals,” Gosavi said. “Wanting to increase employee understanding, I spoke with vice presidents of finance, senior directors and finance analysts to identify problems. I then created a rotational program that allowed employees to work multi-departmentally and, after a brief trial of rotation, identify which area was best for their productivity in the company for a more permanent commitment.”

In creating the new financial rotational program, Gosavi also learned more about herself, she said. Being able to have direct conversations with senior-level directors and other high-level management professionals allowed her to “grow into a professional, especially in regard to confidence.”

Gosavi is thankful for the funding she received through the Chapel Executive Internship Program, stating its financial support was “monumental” in her ability to take on the internship.

“The biggest concern I had before my internship was housing. It was very expensive, but the Chapel funding helped me save on that cost, especially because I’ve had to pay rent for my apartments in both Maryland and State College,” Gosavi said. “I also don’t have a car, so the funding has helped cover my transportation costs. It’s a lot of financial help that I am very grateful for.”

As to the takeaway from her experience, Gosavi said she sees a future “where we can connect the realm of mental health with the corporate world. Especially in today’s times, where advocating for mental health is more accepted, we [have the ability to] support [employee] development.”

Editor's note: This is one in a series of stories about Liberal Arts students participating in Chapel Executive Internships this summer. Students interested in applying for a Chapel Executive Internship for fall should apply by the Sept. 1 deadline through the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network.