Embry‑Riddle student Victoria West talks about her internship with Textron, and how that experience was able to give her a glimpse of what life would be like after graduation.

For Communication major Victoria West, an internship at Textron Aviation provided critical professional lessons – and even more valuable personal ones.

Far from home and surrounded by people she didn’t know, the 20-year-old was forced to put herself out there to make friends and do the jobs she was assigned.

At Textron - the iconic aviation company that makes Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker aircraft among others - West was part of the communications department. While she focused mainly on working with social media, she also was involved with community and employee engagement. 

Although she’s grateful for the unparalleled professional skills she picked up during the internship, she believes that facing the personal challenges also helped her grow. 

“It was like having a glimpse of what life is like after graduation,” she said.