Two Laurier business students land U.S. internship

Two Wilfrid Laurier University business
students were given the opportunity
to experience working for a multinational
company this summer when
they were hired by the Americanbased
insurance firm Arthur J. Gallagher
& Co.

Thomas Gaylor and Thomas Krech,
both heading into their fourth year at
Laurier, were the first two Canadian
interns hired by the multi-national
company, which just completed a
takeover of a Canadian based insurance
firm. The Canadian sector
of the company is now called
Gallagher-Lambert.

“[The hiring of interns] has gone on
for over two decades now, but this is
the first time they have hired two interns
from Canada,” said Gaylor.

“They are really trying to integrate
the [Canadian sector] with the US
operation.”

“At first I was really unsure about
the whole internship, but when I saw
some of the schools that other people
were coming from – and there’s
Berkeley, Texas Tech, Cornell and other
big name schools – it really made
me view Laurier on a much higher level,”
said Gaylor.

Krech continued, saying that the
fact that the two interns came from
Laurier speaks very highly of the business
program here.

“It really opens your eyes because
you always hear about how great Ivy is
or Queen’s is, but you don’t really hear
about Laurier. It just goes to show
[that Laurier] really is in that same
tier.”

Krech made reference to the fact
that the opportunity was a great way
to build connections with people in
the United States, as well as communicate
with and learn from, the top directors
of the company.

The guys did not have a set role
within the company during their internship;
instead it was more of a
learning experience for the future.

“They really want to invest in people
for the future. It was a lot of learning
about the industry, and I have a
better appreciation for it,” said Gaylor.

Highlights of the internship included
when Gaylor and Krech, along with
all of the interns from across the US,
traveled to Chicago for a conference.

They were able to network with the
CEO and other prominent individuals
in the company.

Gaylor added that the internship
proved to him that people are beginning
to see the quality of Laurier and
recognize that it can compete with the
best schools in North America.

Gaylor concluded that it is definitely
not the business program keeping
students from opportunities, but instead
their own initiative.

“I would tell first-years to find that
balance between academic and social
life, and they would really be missing
out if they didn’t,” said Gaylor.

“The guy who hired us said we were
really well-rounded students and I
think that’s what made us stand out
from the other applicants.”