Learning, Growth, Opportunity: My Summer at Savant
Olivia Cliff, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, interned this summer with Savant’s Investment Operations department in Middleton, Wisconsin. She shares what that experience meant to her.
When I sum up my internship in three words, they’re easy to pick: learning, growth, opportunity. Here’s a look at what that experience actually looked like, day to day.
First Impressions
From the very first day, I felt welcomed and supported by the people I worked with. It wasn’t just a friendly welcome. Throughout the summer, I had opportunities to learn about different aspects of the business and gain hands-on experience. That mindset set the tone for the rest of the summer.
Building New Skills
If you’d asked me at the start of the summer which skill I’d grow the most, I probably wouldn’t have guessed “AI prompting.” But here we are. As I worked on automating some of our processes, I learned how to prompt AI efficiently instead of going back and forth trying to coax out the results. I quickly realized that building an “agent” takes a lot more than a few directions and some data; it takes trial, error, and above all, detail. Alongside that, I also grew my skills in Savant’s main software programs, Tamarac and Salesforce, tools I now feel much more confident navigating.
The Biggest Lesson: Learning to Communicate Like a Professional
Coming into this internship, I already felt confident in my communication skills. My college experience taught me the how and why of professional speaking, but no classroom can fully replicate a real professional environment. Between the intern networking event, countless Zoom meetings, and office conversations, as well as preparing for our internal presentations, I’ve continued to grow more comfortable and confident in representing myself effectively. This internship showed me there are far more layers to communication than I ever realized.
Learning from a Great Mentor
Jared Spanbauer, lead investment operations analyst, was an important resource for me this summer. He’s knowledgeable about software, always willing to help, and a genuine support system for his teammates. Rather than just handing me feedback, he sat down with me, reviewed my work, and walked through how he might have approached something differently. That gave me new ways of thinking through problems beyond what I’d already been taught.
A Project I’m Proud Of
The work I’m most proud of is helping streamline and automate parts of our auditing process. Anything that frees up more time for the team to focus on other projects feels like a win, and contributing to that has been incredibly rewarding.
What Surprised Me Most
I didn’t expect just how much cross-team collaboration I’d experience. I’m technically an Investment Operations intern, but I’ve also had the chance to work closely with the advisory team on portfolio reviews and daily deposit and withdrawal reports. Even within Investment Operations itself, I worked on the billing side and shadowed colleagues on the reporting side. Overall, I was surprised by just how many different corners of the company I got to explore.
Fun and Connection
Early in my internship, our office held a cookout for lunch, and it turned out to be one of the most valuable moments of my summer. It gave me the chance to meet everyone more candidly, rather than just a quick introduction on day one. That lower-pressure setting made it so much easier to actually build relationships with the people I’d be working alongside all summer.
Advice for Future Interns
My advice: get out of your comfort zone. The best way to learn is to challenge yourself. The initial discomfort you may feel won’t last forever, and you never know what you’ll gain from pushing through it. Savant’s environment is built for learning and growth, so lean into that as much as you can.
Would I Recommend This Internship?
Based on my experience, the internship provided valuable exposure to investment operations and the opportunity to work with a variety of teams across the organization. I now understand what it really takes for a company to run smoothly behind the scenes. Savant genuinely gives interns hands-on experience and encourages us to explore different departments. That sense of team extends to interns too, and it’s helped me learn far more than just the responsibilities tied to my specific role.
This is intended for informational purposes only. You should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this document serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Savant. Please consult your investment professional regarding your unique situation.
Senior at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse