Gina Cardinale Named a Top 100 Intern

Accountancy and finance student Gina Cardinale (Class of 2026) was named one of the nation’s top interns by Yello & WayUp’s Top 100 Intern List for 2024. This list celebrates interns who have made significant contributions in various fields. Gina pursued her summer internship at Nationwide, an insurance and financial services company, based in Columbus, Ohio. 

Gina started her internship by immersion in the world of Power Automate, a Microsoft platform for optimizing and automating workflows and business processes. Using this tool, she supported Nationwide’s digital resource solutions team, working on a project to organize the accounting and finance solutions (AFS) team’s standard operating procedures and make them more accessible to users.

She also worked with the AFS team to review process flows to ensure that the risk(s) and control(s) documented in these flows matched the information in the Risk and Control Matrix. This alignment was crucial for maintaining accuracy and compliance. Upon identifying discrepancies, she was responsible for sending follow-up emails to the respective employees, requesting updates or corrections. “Clear communication was essential to maintaining data integrity,” she shared.

For her internship project, Gina transformed the previous Controllership Headcount Accuracy Tracker form powered by Ninxtex into a new form using Power Apps. This form aimed to streamline data collection and reporting related to headcount accuracy. “To enhance usability, I made modifications to the form, ensuring it was user-friendly and accessible for all stakeholders involved in Controllership,” Gina said. The form was a great success, and Nationwide planned to implement it for use by hiring managers in August of 2024. Gina’s presentation about her project was so impressive that she was selected out of the 11 Controllership interns to present at the weekly AFS meeting in front of 70+ Nationwide employees.

In addition to her projects, Gina spent time on professional development courses, including topics such as self-confidence, Microsoft Teams, data wrangling in Excel, and AI productivity. “Exploring generative AI in finance and accounting was particularly fascinating, as it opened my eyes to innovative ways of leveraging technology in financial processes. Additionally, I delved into Power Automate, Power BI, and cloud computing, gaining practical skills that will be valuable in my future endeavors. Lastly, I learned about effective communication during difficult events and the importance of advocating for underrepresented groups,” she said. 

To cap off her achievements, Gina applied for and was selected to represent Nationwide’s 180+ summer interns on the NICE Committee (Nationwide Intern Council of Events), a board of nine. “As an intern representative, I was responsible for attending weekly meetings to plan events and keep interns informed about Nationwide updates and future events. These meetings provided valuable insights into the organization’s overall direction and allowed me to expand my professional network outside of my direct team at Nationwide.” 

A challenge during her internship was location since the Columbus headquarters was a two-hour drive from Gina’s hometown. “No one expected nor anticipated me to tackle the hybrid environment and drive to work several times a week. However, I’ve come to learn about the importance of working in person as often as I can so I can better expand my network. As a result, I’ve allotted time to visit the Columbus office every other week to ensure more effective collaboration. Overall, my determination, adaptability, and willingness to embrace unique opportunities contributed to my successful internship experience.”

Above: Cardinale enjoyed the amenities of Nationwide HQ, including an atrium where Nationwide employees could escape for a break or get some work done in a new environment, and a cafeteria with plenty of space to have lunch with coworkers.

After her internship experience, which has given her valuable insights into the corporate world, Gina says she’s found greater clarity in the direction she wishes to pursue, with a greater understanding of her interests and strengths. “I’ve realized that I am passionate about process improvement, data management, and effective communication. I gained a better understanding of my colleagues’ experiences, received mentorship, and built valuable connections.”

Regarding working at Nationwide (which she considered going against the “status quo”), she said, “I’ve come to truly enjoy my internship with an external company, which has taught me to embrace the opportunity to explore beyond the traditional and familiar…I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on Nationwide’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being. I aspire to work in an environment that values these principles at such a high level. Everyone at Nationwide, from an entry-level employee to the CEO, treated me as a valuable asset to the company—even as an intern.”