Internship Stories: Solly Iluyomade at Bangor Savings Bank

Solomon “Solly” Iluyomade is a MaineMBA student from London, England. He is spending the summer as a Product Management and Digital Banking intern at Bangor Savings Bank. He’s putting his finance and business analytics skills to work at the bank’s waterfront Bangor location. A 2021 graduate of the Maine Business School, and former UMaine basketball player, Solly is now pursuing a MaineMBA in business analytics.

Why did you choose to intern at Bangor Savings Bank?

I chose to intern at Bangor Savings Bank because it is one of the largest financial institutions in the state of Maine and Northern New England. I wanted the opportunity to utilize my degree in a practical setting. What better environment than at the #2 on Forbes “World Best Banks” list?

What are you tasked with as an intern?

I am overseeing a consumer account product. I’m currently working on a checking account product that targets individuals who are currently unbanked. It is an account that allows them to practice healthy financial habits with several account safeguards. 

What do you like most about your internship?

I like the independence that the internship offers. Traditional stereotypes about internships are paper filing, call taking, and grunt work. My experience has been far from it. The work that I am doing is consequential to the consumer and retail-facing functions of the bank.

What is the biggest challenge you faced during your Bangor Savings Bank internship?

The biggest challenge that I faced was managing the independence of the internship with the time management of the internship. A key responsibility with the job means scheduling meetings and planning for and around those meetings. It requires a lot of communication, understanding the purpose and outcomes of what you’re doing, and figuring out the next steps.

What are something you learned during your internship that you couldn’t have learned in the classroom?

The internship has taught me a number of interpersonal skills, such as going out to lunch with new people and developing relationships. Building relationships where you work is huge for your development, career, and team. I like to think I am a social butterfly, but even I found it tough to approach. However, I do believe I have done well in this regard!

What advice would you share with other MaineMBA students considering an internship?

Get into an internship whenever you can. Absorb all you can from your opportunities and learn to say yes to everything even if you’re not 100% sure how to do it. In addition, throw yourself in the deep end because you would rather have an overwhelming amount of experience than an underwhelming amount.

 

Solly Iluyomade
Hometown: London, England
Internship employer: Bangor Savings Bank
Maine Business School Class of 2021