Intern Spotlight: Ryan Penry

Ryan joined Apex Benefits in May 2022 as an HR Intern. He is finishing up his last semester at Marian University and applying to recruiting positions in higher education and the health care industry. 

Intern Spotlight: Ryan Penry

I learned about Apex’s internship program through one of my professors on campus who knew Stephanie DiBlasio, VP of human resources and administration at Apex. Prior to learning about the internship, I had already accepted a position as an intern at another company. However, after doing some research on Apex and chatting with HR Specialist and Recruiter Lauren Lewis I knew that Apex was where I needed to be to start my HR journey. I was looking to be a sponge to soak up all the knowledge I could, and I knew Apex was the place to do it!

While at Apex, my projects included recruiting, interviewing (both internally and externally), onboarding, serving on the culture committee, payroll and more. But the best part of all is that I was able to learn so much from a highly skilled and professional team that made every day never feel like work.

I sharpened and learned so many new skills during my internship. One that will help guide me in future careers is the art of sourcing and interviewing. Other skills that I have sharpened are my communication, interpersonal, time management and leadership skills. It was such a unique and rewarding experience to grow my communication and leadership skills by being able to communicate with the hiring manager on what he or she is looking for in prospective candidates. It was also interesting to see how the different leadership styles played a part in the selection process.

I feel that I’ve grown tremendously with my time at Apex. Prior to this, I had only been exposed to the higher education world and, with this opportunity, my horizons have been expanded. With my time at Apex, I have grown to appreciate small business and the many benefits it has. Many of the skills that I have learned I will be taking with me, and I am eager to grow and expand my knowledge within human resources in the coming years.

The best part about my internship was having the ability to gain firsthand experience within the real world and see the ins and outs of HR, and all the process and policies it holds. I couldn’t have asked for a better HR team to help show me the ropes, as this was my first time working within this area of business. I am so grateful for the three strong, dedicated and inspiring women on the Apex HR team for showing me how rewarding career in HR is.

I’m heading back to Marian University in the fall to finish my final semester of undergrad! At the same time, I’m currently applying for jobs after graduation. The dream job is something in recruiting, ideally within a healthcare organization or at a higher education institution. Either way, the world is my oyster and I cannot wait to see where I end up.

Apex made this a summer to never forget. I’m so glad to be part of the Apex family, and I can’t wait to see the success of the company and everyone involved.

Thank you for all your hard work, Ryan. We look forward to seeing all the great things you will accomplish.