Internship Leads to First Job for Walton Scholar Alumna

After Alisone Guzman graduated from University of the Ozarks in December of 2023, the search for her first job quickly led her back to a previous summer internship.

Guzman, from Lourdes Colón, El Salvador, graduated with majors in business administration and health science with Summa Cum Laude honors. In the summer of 2022, the Walton Scholar was one of eight U of O students who were part of the inaugural internship program between the University and the El Salvadoran government's Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers (ANDA).

Earlier this spring, Guzman was hired by ANDA as part of its communications team.

"After I graduated, I began my job hunting journey, and I was a little worried about coming back home and not finding a job soon enough," Guzman said. "Since I did my internship at ANDA and I enjoyed my experience there, I always had in mind applying for a position at the institution. I did not hesitate on sending them an email and asking if they had any positions available."

The president of ANDA is Ruben Aleman, a 1994 alumnus of Ozarks and former Walton Scholar. Aleman helped facilitate the internship program with U of O President Richard Dunsworth. Approximately 25 Ozarks students have participated in the program over the past three summers.

"Alisone being the first former intern to be hired by ANDA is certainly one of the true success stories of this partnership," Aleman said. "I'm extremely happy that we had the opportunity to hire her and now she's part of the family at ANDA. It's kind of closing the circle with the internship program and portraying what the Walton family, at the end of day, wanted - for us Walton Scholars to go back to our home countries and to add value to our countries."

As a communications specialist, Guzman provides support to the campaigns and press sector, allowing her to work on a wide range of tasks, including writing and creating content, coordinating campaigns, and organizing press events. She has also been involved in two major projects for ANDA.

"The first one involves collaboration with the World Bank, which has secured a $100 million loan for ANDA," Guzman said. "The purpose is to improve the quality and access to water in rural areas of El Salvador. The second project is a cooperation with the government of the People's Republic of China. I am tasked with visiting them on a weekly basis to monitor the progress of the construction of the water plant project. This plant, which is planned to be ready in three years and costs $40 million, aims to provide clean water access to over 250,000 Salvadorans.'

Guzman said her internship with ANDA was her first real experience in a professional work place and that is was beneficial in so many ways.

"I believe an internship, more than just a learning experience, is also an opportunity to connect with people and understand what a work environment really looks like and whether we like it or not," she said. "During the two months of my internship, I found that my co-workers became my friends, and I saw them even more often than my own family. This is why a good relationship and work environment are key. I immediately felt accepted and comfortable with the communications team, and even though my internship was in energy efficiency, I realized once I was there that the area that really caught my attention was communications. Before finishing my internship, I mentioned this to the manager of that area, to which she responded that she would be looking forward to my graduation and seeing if there was a possibility of me coming to work for her."

Guzman called receiving the Walton International Scholarship to attend Ozarks as "one of the biggest blessings I have ever had."

"I come from a family where education is a privilege neither of my parents had," she said. "When applying for the scholarship, I had the biggest support from both of them, and after receiving it, I devoted myself to making the most of it. I chose to do two majors in subjects that I really enjoyed learning about. I think being a Walton Scholar is about knowing that opportunities like this come once in a lifetime and being so grateful for them that you know you have to give back as soon as you can."

She was also excited to use her knowledge and skills to begin making an impact in El Salvador.

"I am proud to work in a governmental institution that works with and for the people of El Salvador," she said. "I think this has always been my dream - to give back to my community. Knowing that when I go to work, there are projects, people, institutions, banks, and governments all working toward the same purpose of improving the country as a whole fulfills my heart. For now, I am part of only a small portion of it, but I know that with more experience and education, I can advance further and be part of the team that makes and executes the decisions."

Guzman called her experience at Ozarks "enriching" and said it made her the person she is today.

"Academically, I had the best professors and a focused, personalized education," Guzman said. "It taught me discipline and the importance of exploring different areas of study to give myself the chance to truly find what I liked and where my passions lay. As an international student, Ozarks taught me what it is like to have a supportive community and to trust people, as well as to be independent, responsible, and friendly all at the same time."

Topics: Alumni