What if your internship didn’t just build your resume—but helped build a pharma company’s new manufacturing site?
That’s exactly what happened to Fox School of Business student Veronica Rodnyanskiy.
As a human resource management major and supply chain minor at Temple University, Rodnyanskiy wanted to pursue internships related to her interests. Through the student career site Handshake, she found an HR internship at Kyowa Kirin, Inc., a Japanese pharma group that develops innovative specialty drugs.
The internship would take place during the summer of 2024 at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. It was a great fit.
“I’ve always been interested in pharmaceuticals because my family works in the industry, and I grew up hearing about it,” she said. “The role focused on talent development, which really appealed to me.”
The interview process was thorough—a phone screen with the intern recruiter, an interview with the hiring manager and a final conversation with a senior HR leader. By the start of the spring semester, she had an offer in hand.
Little did she know that her summer in Princeton would lead her to a bigger, more expansive (and exciting) role.
“While I was there, they announced the launch of a new initiative called the Biobloom Project, which involved building a manufacturing site here in the U.S. and creating an entirely new team,” she said. “I got to know the HR director, and we really connected.
“I asked if there was any chance I could be the HR intern at the manufacturing site. She said she would love to have me on board and worked to create the role, get approval, and ultimately offer it to me.”
That next chapter brought her to Sanford, North Carolina—about 30 minutes south of Raleigh—where the manufacturing site was being built.
Over the summer, Veronica worked full-time as the HR intern on-site and her projects weren’t small or symbolic.
“In this role, because our HR team was small and growing rapidly, I had ownership over projects from start to finish,” she said. “For example, I helped create the employee handbook—something I never imagined doing, especially for a manufacturing facility. I researched best practices, drafted the content with my manager, and sent it to corporate for review.”
She also supported hiring efforts, reviewed job descriptions and coordinated logistics for colleagues traveling in and out to support the construction. Also, she had the opportunity to collaborate with senior leadership at the site every day.
She was excited about the opportunities she that surrounded her, including watching the company’s new building rise.
“It was incredible to watch the building come to life—from being surrounded by forest to seeing walls, staircases, lighting and insulation installed.”
At the end of the summer, she returned to Philadelphia and Temple’s Main Campus where she has continued her work with Kyowa Kirin remotely.
At the start of 2026, she returned to North Carolina and was impressed by the progress being made at the construction site. There, she saw a bit of her own journey reflected in the work.
“In previous internships, I was guided step-by-step,” she said. “But with this opportunity, I’ve gained a level of autonomy I hadn’t experienced before.”
For Rodnyanskiy, internships aren’t added or, even optional, experiences—they are where real professional growth happens.
“They bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real world,” she said.
Since she arrived at Temple, Rodnyanskiy has put in the work, seeking the skills and networks that would help her achieve her goals.
In her first semester at the Fox School, she joined the campus chapter of Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). She moved from member to officer, becoming director of corporate relations before eventually serving as chapter president.
“I gained leadership experience and worked on initiatives that translated directly to professional settings,” she said of her SHRM experience. “That involvement prepared me more than anything else.”
She has also worked as a student worker at the school’s Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD), helping plan major events like the center’s career fairs.
“Working at CSPD helped me develop professionally and build confidence in networking and employer communication,” she said.
While she will be earning her undergraduate degree in May, her plan is not yet complete. She is currently enrolled in the school’s 4 + 1 program where she will continue at Fox for an additional year and earn her master’s degree in human resource management.
She is happy to be part of the Fox community for just a bit longer.
“Faculty and staff genuinely care about helping students succeed and making them feel confident and prepared,” she said. “If you put in the effort, Fox truly invests in you. I felt heard, valued and supported.”
Rodnyanskiy’s journey—from student leader to HR partner on a major manufacturing project—reflects the kind of hands-on, high-impact experience Fox students can achieve.
For her, the lesson is simple: when you step forward and ask for more, you might just help build something bigger than you imagined.