Internship Spotlight: Ryan Sadowsky, Merit Foods of Arizona

Ryan Sadowsky '25 BSBA (Management Information Systems) was an IT Implementation and Operations Intern at Merit Foods of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.

What was a typical day like?

A typical day at my internship would begin at 7:30am when I arrive at the offices. Everyday the first thing I did was walk the warehouse floor with the operations manager. This gave us the opportunity to greet all of the employees, and ensure everything was operating smoothly in regards to equipment and employee safety protocols. Following that, I would arrive at my desk and set up the reports that will run in the background for the remainder of the day. I would then work to cross off the various IT projects on my to-do list for each day. Towards the middle day I would meet with management and usually be assigned more tasks to complete in the upcoming days. Towards the end of the day, I would review emails sent to the company wide tech support hotline and try to address as many problems as I could. I would go home at around 4:30pm to 5:00pm where I would continue to complete tasks throughout the evening.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of the experience was developing relationships with the management team at this midsize company and have a true feeling that I made a lasting impact on the company culture and the processes. I was given the autonomy to present ideas and explore process improvements without the fear of failure. Additionally, I enjoyed the bonds I was able to develop and the mentorship I received from the team.

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below:

Throughout the entire summer, my team was tasked with updating the warehouse management system, with the intention to speed up warehouse processes and prevent human error as much as possible. I successfully was able to oversee the implementation and gain associate support on these updates. Additionally, I was able to play a a crucial role in putting systems in place to open a systems warehouse for a large chain of restaurants in Arizona.

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful?

My biggest advice for future students in their first internship is to be okay with being uncomfortable. You will be put into situations where you feel right at home due to the skills developed in Eller, however you will also be put in situations where you will be uncomfortable and have to develop new skills or learn new things. It’s okay to not know what you are doing and ask for help because at the end of the day those uncomfortable situations will contribute the most to your growth.

Anything else you would like to share about your summer experience?

Over the summer, I was able to develop relationships with members of the organization that will last a life time. Whether it was golfing outside of work or working on new projects in the office, everyone’s motivation was incredibly inspiring. I am eager to return to this organization next summer and continue to contribute to their rapid growth.