While working for one of the innovation and technology leaders in industrial automation and digitalization, Ines Ruiz started to see the power of gaining practical, hands-on experience.
A senior who is studying economics, marketing, and creative writing at the University, Ruiz has developed a strong business background and never thought her future would one day include working for a technology company—until an opportunity came along to work with Siemens Digital Industries Software this past spring.
“Entering into this internship, I was questioning myself about how this was going to work. But it has worked out amazingly because I brought something to the table that was different, and I learned a lot from them at the same time,” said Ruiz, an international student from Buenos Aires, Argentina. “With this internship, I had exposure to a lot of topics like artificial intelligence, sustainability, clean energies, and a lot more subjects that are the future of our world, while still being able to utilize and expand my marketing experience.”
In her hybrid internship role, Ruiz’s day-to-day tasks involved marketing and communications related to technical writing duties. One of her major projects included leading the development of “what they call global interest groups—essentially, it’s sales communications,” she explained.
Siemens has several energy sub-segments, and Ruiz’s responsibility was to reach out to various leaders within the company for a monthly meeting to gain insight into their sector progress. She analyzed that information based on industry standards and followed up with them to pursue potential opportunities.
“My boss, John Nixon, has been incredible. And he gave me the confidence that I could do this,” said Ruiz. “He wanted to train my leadership skills, and it’s been awesome.”
Based on her extraordinary performance as an intern throughout the spring semester, Nixon, vice president of global strategy in energy chemicals and infrastructure, selected Ruiz to attend Realize Live, Siemens Software’s flagship event for the exchange of ideas, best practices, and information, in Las Vegas, Nevada, this past June. She was one of five student interns to be chosen out of dozens.
“Ines has an inner fire and a zest for life,” said Nixon. “Her positive attitude is infectious, and her work ethic and quality make a powerful combo in a young professional. I knew we needed Ines at Realize Live, where we bring our worldwide users together in one location to expose those customers to all that Siemens has to offer and all that we are about to roll out in the new year. We had to have Ines present to bring her energy to customers.”
“I’m so grateful that I got to experience something like this early in my career,” said Ruiz. “I got to see both sides of the event—the behind-the-scenes and also network and mingle with clients.”
Ruiz said she could only have excelled in this internship with the knowledge she gained from her professors in both the Miami Herbert Business School and the College of Arts and Sciences at the University.
“Being that I am an international student, it’s great to feel so welcome and included. And I really appreciate UM for all it has provided me,” she said. “My marketing and creative writing courses were very hands on, which have complemented my experience outside of the classroom.”
William “Ted” Bolton, lecturer at the Miami Herbert Business School, taught Ruiz’s digital media metrics course and recalled her enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. In his course, Ruiz created a live digital resource and said Bolton reaffirmed her passion for marketing and marketing management.
“For me, it’s why you teach,” said Bolton. “My attitude is that I want students to take the classroom knowledge and be able to apply it to real-life work and situations. So, it’s so great to know the course impacted her because that’s really what I emphasize throughout.”
As Ruiz enters her final year at the University, she said that she is proud of all that she has learned and is looking forward to a career in marketing at an information technology company. “Being here has gone above and beyond what I expected,” she exclaimed.
