February 2, 2010 – Anyone who has spent any time at epic can tell you we take internships seriously. We have worked with student interns from the inception of the company. At times we have had as many as eight interns doing everything from programming to 2D and 3D animation, and video production. I expect a lot from an intern, and most rise to the occasion and deliver. I first learned about the internet from an intern (he was using an early version at A&M University), and interns usually introduce me to cool things well before they become mainstream.
Sometimes when an internship is over, I wonder if the experience was a positive one, and if the student got anything out of it (besides course credit). So when an intern from the past sends me a note to let me know how they are doing, it really makes my day. Recently I got one such note from Lucas Wagner, who did his internship at epic in 1993! Luc was hardly a model intern. He had been transplanted from Ohio to Houston and uprooting a high school student can be tough on them (and all those around them).
Young people can get into trouble without even trying. Like many of the interns that find their way to epic, Luc was among the best and brightest in his class. He knew the computer inside and out, and could do things with it that were simply amazing. Without going into detail, let’s say that Luc figured out a way to program the machine in a way I did not appreciate. He got balled out for it and when he completed his internship I had no idea what the future would hold for him.
So when I got a Linked in invitation from Luc, I was very curious to see how things he turned out. Wow – was I impressed with what he had accomplished and who he had become. He focused that incredible mind and had completed his MBA, and is now he was a Certified Financial Planner. For the sake of those students thinking about doing an internship at epic I will share with you a portion of his email to me….
Hi Vic,
I checked out your new web site -- really crisp design. Your bio was what prompted me to drop you a line. I'm sitting here working on my own MBA business plan based on my experience in finance and operations. I was inspired that you came up with the model for epic back in 1987, yet the company has changed and adapted with times to build off of the same principal.
I know I sent you something like this a few years ago thanking you, but I'll just say it again, just because I want to give you some long-term data on how people have benefited later on, particularly now as a business student in his 30s who is getting ready to pull the trigger on his next big thing.
The key element that was life-changing for me about your internship program (and keep in mind that I was there over sixteen years ago when epic was three rooms) that I use every day as an entrepreneur was that it was my first small business experience. From an operations perspective, I was able to see how everything worked -- from soup to nuts. Putting out fires. Developing and cultivating strategic partnerships. Working with subordinates/the front desk. IT issues. Scheduling.... and managing interns.
Wow, Vic, let me tell you -- I have had my share of hiring terrible interns and my share of hiring good interns; for any hassle I was to manage as a knucklehead idiot high school student, I have been paid back fiftyfold. Particularly in finance, where bad interns can (and will) get you sued. The management experience for this was incredibly useful.
Even dealing with strange issues. One time, I remember the cleaning lady photocopied her rear end on the epic central photocopier and left it on the copier itself. To date, that has never happened again. I imagine if it ever does, my first instinct will be to react as my first experience with it was. I think you popped in your head and humorously said, "Hey, did someone have a party without me?"
Kind regards,
Lucas
I asked Lucas if I could use his note in our blog, and he was kind enough to say yes, and even sent us the photo to the right. If you want to see how he’s doing, check out his blog at: http://www.prosperlogic.com/lucaswagner/ . Thanks Luc for keeping in touch – I am VERY proud of you, and I am confident you will go onto do many great things with your life.
Posted by Vic Cherubini on February 03, 2010
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