Yazmin Barajas, 2022 Intern

Meet Yazmin Barajas

A senior at University of Missouri studying Organizational Communications.

Meet Yazmin Barajas, a senior at the University of Missouri pursuing degrees in Organizational Communication and Spanish, as well as certifications in Human Resource Management and Multicultural Studies. Yazmin is another one of our interns who is no stranger to Simmons Pet Food having worked as summer help in 2018 and an intern in Operations for Simmons Pet Food in 2021. This summer, Yazmin interned again with Simmons Pet Food where she focused on fill rates and order accuracy. Under the supervision of Jake Storer, Director of Sales for Simmons Pet Food, Yazmin helped improve upon current processes for fulfilling customer orders.

“Every moment of my internship was invaluable, but one of my favorite parts was building relationships with all types of professionals that were committed to living out each of the Simmons values and helped me gain a good understanding of how the business functions. I believe that Simmons is the perfect place for anyone who is driven to learn and grow.”
- Yazmin Barajas

Yazmin: What are two to three lessons you learned this summer that you will carry with you as you head back to school?

The biggest takeaway I have from this summer is the importance of building relationships. Being able to build strong relationships not only in the workplace but in your personal life as well will give you many of the tools you need to develop your success. Putting people first in anything you do will not only help others but in turn will drive others to pour into you. As I go into my last year of college and prepare to start my career, I will carry the importance of people wherever I go. I am thankful to Simmons for their dedication and demonstration of this value because they have changed my perspective on not only the world of business but the world in general!

Another takeaway from this summer is the importance of accurate and accessible data. During my research, I learned the power that data has to influence change and drive excellence. I had never really focused on the importance of data but I learned this summer that business is extremely data-driven and it must be a key factor in business strategy in order to be competitive. I believe that understanding the value of data will take me far in my career because it will build my credibility and ability to drive change.

Yazmin: What do you believe sets Simmons Foods’ internship program apart from other intern programs? What was the most valuable experience you had during your internship?

I may be slightly biased since I have had the opportunity to intern at Simmons for two wonderful summers, but there is no other internship or organization like Simmons Foods. The culture at this organization is what every organization strives to build. You notice the way Simmons is different from other organizations the second you walk in the door. As an intern at Simmons, you get to “do REAL work” and have the opportunity to truly make a difference. You aren’t just seen as an intern that is paid to do busy work. Everyone involved in your internship experience is dedicated to helping you develop as a professional and an individual. Developing the people of Simmons is what makes Simmons successful which is why they dedicate themselves to putting their people first. Every moment of my internship was invaluable, but one of my favorite parts was building relationships with all types of professionals that were committed to living out each of the Simmons values and helped me gain a good understanding of how the business functions. I believe that Simmons is the perfect place for anyone who is driven to learn and grow, and it truly is hard to beat the internship experience that Simmons offers.