Dani Villarroel
March 2, 2023
Dani Villarroel is from North Springfield, Virginia and uses she/her pronouns. She is majoring in Human Resource Management and is a third-year senior graduating in the Spring of 2023.
Dani is currently an intern for the Virginia Tech Human Resources Department. She has been an intern for them since the Fall of 2022 and plans on continuing the internship until May of 2023.
We asked Dani to share both her internship and Pamplin experiences with us.
How did you find your internship with VT? How long have you been working there? What is your title and what do you do for them?
I found my internship with VT by taking Professor Cordova’s career in management class last spring semester. I have been working at this internship since the beginning of the fall semester and I am continuing my internship this upcoming spring. I work with Dan Taggart, an HR Division Director on various projects for VT in the HR field.
What is your favorite part about the internship?
My favorite part about the internship is that every day is different in terms of what I’m doing, and the internship is flexible so that I can work on projects that are of interest to me. It’s an amazing way for me to learn about the various departments in HR and see which ones I’d like to work in the future.
What type of student would you recommend apply to this internship and why?
I would recommend that any student that is interested in HR apply to this internship even if you don’t know the exact specialty you will find it during the internship. Some qualities that a successful intern should have are high communication skills, being a self-advocate, confident in your abilities and a drive to learn.
What do you want to do after graduation?
After graduating this spring, I am continuing my education with Virginia Tech in an accelerated master’s program in Business Analytics in August.
What advice would you give to an incoming Pamplin freshman?
The best advice I would give to an incoming freshman is that it’s never too early to start paving your career path. I would suggest attending as many recruiting and networking events as possible and to take every opportunity even if it's not your dream internship. Any experience is a good experience.
What is your favorite part about being a management and or Pamplin student?
My favorite part about being a management student is meeting other students that have the same major because I can learn a lot from them in regard to classes I need to take, advice on applying for internships, and more.
If any, what organizations are you in and what do you enjoy about them?
I’m in SAA (student alumni association), Class of 2024 Leadership and Latin Link. I enjoy my involvement in the organizations I’m in because two of them are heavily leadership and community service based and one of them is a cultural organization that connects me to my heritage. Both of these organizations have taught me a lot about myself and have given me the opportunity to find amazing friendships.
What is your LinkedIn?