By Arielle Stevenson, University Communications and Marketing
For USF St. Petersburg senior Medina Fekovic, a day at her internship might mean welcoming new employees, interviewing prospective interns or working behind the scenes on the latest human resources system.
Other days, she’s analyzing data, creating materials for career events or meeting with managers about new hires.
No two days are quite the same and that’s what she likes about it.
Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Fekovic is a business management major with a concentration in human resources in the Kate Tiedemann School of Business and Finance. This spring, she started as a human resources intern at Bankers Financial Corporation, located just a half-mile away from the St. Pete campus. Her internship spans onboarding, recruiting and compliance.
Fekovic had learned the foundations of HR in the classroom but had little experience applying them in the workplace. Over time, she went from working alongside her manager to taking ownership of processes herself. She now interviews candidates and and helps implement new HR technology.
“They gave me a lot of freedom to own a lot of my own processes,” Fekovic said. “You’re able to own things from start to finish and really be hands-on in the thick of it.”
“You're able to own things from start to finish and really be hands-on.” Medina Fekovic, senior '26
She's since helped to create educational content for employees and developed an ergonomic training she leads every other week. She’s built an internal business library filled with books focused on professional growth. It has given her experience in cultivating both professional development and workplace culture. And credits her experiences at USF with helping her take the first step toward an internship.
In one class, Fekovic was encouraged to use resources through the Bellini Center for Talent Development, strengthen her resume and explore opportunities on Handshake. Her academic advisor, Julie Harding, also encouraged her to pursue a management internship course.
“I only had a basic understanding and a foundational understanding, but I didn’t really have what I felt comfortable with leaving college and entering the workforce,” she said. “An internship was something that was really big that we talked about.”
Fekovic also met with Bellini Center career coach Andres Cintron during the spring 2026 semester to refine her resume and review her cover letter.
“What stood out was her initiative and dedication to own her own professional development,” Cintron said. “She did not simply meet with us once; she continued to come back, seek feedback, make improvements, and take advantage of the resources available to her.”
For Fekovic, USF St. Petersburg's smaller classes also allowed professors, advisors and career professionals to learn about her interests and point her toward opportunities aligned with her goals.
“She did not simply meet with us once; she continued to come back, seek feedback, make improvements, and take advantage of the resources available to her.”
Andres Cintron, Bellini Center career coach
And now, she's able to build pathways so other students can find their way, too. As part of her internship, Fekovic attends career fairs on behalf of Bankers and talks with students who are standing where she once stood, looking for their first professional opportunity. She is also strengthening connections between Bankers and USF when internships become available.
“There were students I knew, and I was able to reach out to them and say, hey, I have this opportunity open. Is this something you’re interested in?’” she said. “It feels very full circle.”
That connection continues Nov. 2 from 3:30-4:30 p.m., during a Bankers Financial Group information session. Fekovic will speak about her internship experience and the professional development she’s found through the company.
She hopes her experience can show other students that internships offer meaningful learning that goes far beyond the classroom. For students that are nervous or feel behind, Fekovic recommends using resources available to them and applying even when unsure of the outcome.
“Every single time that you go in and you do that interview and you don’t get the job offer, you’re still going to learn something,” she said. “You’re going to come out a better person.”
As she approaches graduation in December, Fekovic’s internship has been extended through the end of the year. Whatever the future holds, Fekovic now has firsthand experience on what a career in human resources could look like.