Jake Paquette ’23 Takes the Initiative When It Comes to Academics, Professional Growth

Jake Paquette ’23 isn’t one to let opportunities pass him by.

That’s why, through a dual-enrollment program with his area high school, Jake entered Colby-Sawyer with enough credits to classify as a sophomore, and it’s why he plans to become the first student to complete the college’s 4+1 Master of Business in Administration program in just four years. It’s also why the East Burke, Vermont native had no intention of letting the summer come and go without gaining valuable professional experience through an internship.

“Completing an internship this summer was very important to me,” said Jake, who was the recipient of this year’s Dr. Margaret “Marnie” Kurtz Business Administration Baccalaureate Award. “I wanted to learn more skills and build my professional network while adding to my resume to show potential employers what I bring to the table.”

With that in mind, Jake began searching for internship sites and found a post on Linkedin advertising an opening for a marketing and sales intern at Mascoma Bank. Jake said that after researching the position, he felt confident that he was qualified for the role and that he would gain valuable, relevant experience from it. He applied for the internship and was hired.

Jake said his main responsibilities include working on philanthropic projects by conducting interviews and writing articles about nonprofit organizations and assisting with marketing campaigns by helping with internal communications and creating promotional graphics.

“My favorite part of interning at the bank so far has been the autonomy of my work,” Jake said. “Many times, my managers have asked me, ‘What do you want to work on, Jake?’ I can then come up with an idea, complete a project and send it to them for advice.”

Jake said he’s excited to officially begin work on his MBA this fall, adding that the value of the program made his decision to enroll an easy one.

“The value of an MBA is immeasurable in today’s work environment and so I knew having my master’s degree would help me get my foot in the door in the business world,” Jake said. “Being able to graduate with an MBA in four years and at the age of 21 seemed like a no brainer to me.”

Like Jake, 100% of Colby-Sawyer students complete an internship in their major, and 61% are offered a full-time position by their internship site after graduating. Read more about Colby-Sawyer internships and graduate outcomes.