How two Auburn students landed an internship at Alabama’s largest bank

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Meet Sophie McGroarty and Abigale Lackey—two seniors at Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business who just wrapped up an 11-week internship at Regions Bank.

We sat down with Sophie and Abigale to uncover what really goes on behind the scenes of a major banking internship and how the Harbert College of Business prepared them to rise to the occasion.

How Auburn’s Harbert College of Business prepared Sophie and Abigale for internships at Regions Bank

For college students, internships offer far more than just a paycheck; they provide real-world experiences that bridge the gap between classroom learnings and professional work environments, helping students:

• Build valuable connections
• Develop skills specific to their field
• Gain confidence in their abilities
• Find future success with full-time job offers post-graduation

That’s why the Harbert College of Business encourages each of its students to apply to internships.

“My professors have always emphasized the importance of networking, beefing up our resumes and marketing ourselves so that we are in a good position when an opportunity arises.

Abigale Lackey

A rising senior studying Information Systems Management at Auburn, Abigale Lackey heard about an exciting internship opportunity at Regions Bank during a meeting of Auburn University Women in Technology (AUWIT).

“I applied for the internship on a whim and managed to land an interview at Regions. Fortunately, I felt very prepared for the interview thanks to my professional development courses and the help from the College’s Office of Professional and Career Development.”

Abigale Lackey

At the internship, Abigale met Sophie McGroarty, another rising senior at the Harbert College of Business. A Business Analytics major, Sophie was introduced to the internship by one of the college’s Program Champions.

“Auburn always emphasizes the importance of making your resume stand out, applying to specific job postings, networking and marketing yourself. They want us to be ready to accept any opportunities that come our way!”

Sophie McGroarty

What Sophie and Abigale learned during their internship

As summer interns at Regions Bank, Sophie and Abigale spent 11 weeks completing hands-on projects, networking with leaders in the organization and gaining invaluable professional experience.

“Over the summer, my team and I built a CI/CD pipeline from scratch with no prior experience or instructions. I applied what I learned in my database management classes and within a couple of weeks, we had it successfully deploying to our test environment.

It was great to take classroom knowledge and use it in a real-world project, and I’m really proud of that achievement.”

Abigale Lackey,

Although Sophie’s internship took her to another sector—ATM operations—she was also able to utilize her classroom knowledge to contribute to projects and understand the system behind the scenes.

“My classes at Auburn—like learning SQL and Python—gave me a solid foundation to understand key concepts and apply them in a real world, corporate setting. I’ve gained exposure to the different layers of ATM operations—many of which I didn’t know existed. It’s been eye-opening to see what goes on behind the scenes.”

Sophie McGroarty

Learn more about the Harbert College of Business

“My advice to any incoming student would be to take advantage of all the resources Auburn offers—career fairs, clubs, the College’s Office of Professional and Career Development and your program champion. Use your connections, get feedback and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!”

Sophie McGroarty

Whether you’re currently enrolled at or considering a business degree from Auburn University, the Harbert College of Business’ Office of Career and Professional Development can help you make the most of your college career.

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