Stories

Lauren Kinerk ’19 has dreamed of working for Apple for years. When she got the chance, she didn’t hesitate. 

The path flight from Seattle to San Jose passes right above the new Apple Park campus in Mountain View. Looking out the window, passengers can see an overhead perspective of the ring-shaped Apple building playfully nicknamed the “Spaceship.”

Lauren Kinerk ’19 knows this view well. She’s made the trip from her hometown in Washington many times and was curious about it since it broke ground in 2014. 

“I really want to see the inside,” Kinerk says. “I haven’t seen it yet.” 

This summer, Kinerk will get her chance. She is starting an internship in the finance development program where she will be working in retail finance.   

Specifically, Kinerk will be housed in one of the more iconic groups in Apple: store visuals. The concept of the Apple store—a highly planned and strategic outlet to showcase Apple products—is one of Steve Jobs’ most important innovations. Through store visuals, Kinerk will be at the meeting point of finance and marketing. 

“We’ve all been into an Apple store and it’s cool that I’ll be able to assist in the finance behind the experience there,” Kinerk says. “I’m excited to go and just experience the company. They’re so innovative. Everybody knows what an Apple product is and just being around some of the brightest and best people will be a really cool experience.” 

Kinerk is a member of Accelerated Cooperative Education (ACE) Leadership Program, which helps students get practical career experience while they’re in school—everything from help building a resume to understanding the job application process. The program is hosted by the Leavey School of Business and Kinerk is one of about 20 members.

Thanks to that support from ACE, Kinerk was ready to go when she heard about the internship opportunity last summer.

“I got that email and I applied—sent my resume, cover letter—within that day,” Kinerk says. “ACE was really helpful and supportive—just kind of getting my foot in the door. Then after that I really took charge.”

And ACE has done more than just help Kinerk get an internship. She credits the program with building a vision for her career.

“Coming into Santa Clara I had no idea what I wanted to do,” Kinerk says. “Then through ACE and through taking classes at Santa Clara, I realized that I really enjoyed finance.”   

Kinerk looks forward to keeping her classmates posted on her experience with Apple. She will be interviewed throughout the summer and the videos will be posted on scu.edu and SCU’s social media channels.