Tori Robbie ’27 has been intentionally explorative during her time at Denison, taking full advantage of disparate academic and career opportunities to determine, as she puts it, “what will stick, and what won’t.”
“I just want to figure out what I like and what I don’t like,” Robbie says. “I’m trying to explore every option I can. Denison encourages me to do that.”
Her approach has carried over to her internships.
The data analytics major first interned on campus. Then she interned with Form5, a nonprofit. She also worked on a grant proposal for an arts nonprofit run by a Denison alum, as part of the university’s microinternship program.
As her next step, she figured she’d try the other end of the career spectrum: a large corporation.
That plan landed Robbie at Ford Motor Co. She has spent this summer at company headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, working on the financial strategy team within Ford’s treasury.
At Denison, Robbie works part-time at the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration and takes advantage of everything the center offers, including its regular career expos.
“My introduction to Ford started at Denison’s career fair,” Robbie says. “Denison does a fantastic job of letting students know ahead of time which companies will be there and what they are looking for.
“Because Ford was on my prepared list, I made sure to greet them,” she says. “At their table, I met two professionals from Ford’s treasury team, as well as a former Denison intern who had recently accepted a full-time offer.
“I scanned the QR code for their internship program, applied, and the rest is history,” she says.
Robbie says interns at Ford are assigned specific projects to tackle.
“Mine involves analyzing and improving the U.S. Ford Credit cash forecast,” she says. “I am identifying challenges, developing solutions, and formulating recommendations. At the end of the internship, I present my findings and proposed next steps directly to Ford executives.”
Improving the cash forecast requires her to dive deep into the analysis of historical data, Robbie says.
“True to my liberal arts background, I have to take a holistic approach,” she says. “I look at where the data is sourced, have collaborative conversations about current pain points, and think creatively to propose out-of-the-box solutions.
“Ford gives interns a lot of autonomy,” she says. “We have real control over the direction and scope of our projects.”
She has found the work interesting, and satisfying.
“I wanted two things from a summer internship,” Robbie says. “A meaningful project and a strong support system. I found both immediately at Ford. Everyone here is incredibly friendly and always willing to point you in the right direction.
“It’s also highly motivating to hear how previous intern projects don’t just sit on a shelf,” she says. “They are actually implemented by executives.”
Ford also strives to ensure that its interns have fun throughout the summer and bond with one another, Robbie says. Golf, an art project, and axe-throwing have been among their summer social events.
Robbie started her internship in June 2026, fresh off a semester studying abroad in Australia. She admits to some stress sorting out the timing but knew to lean on Knowlton and academic advisors. A key mentor for her has been Matt Miller, the associate director of Denison’s data analytics program.
“Tori is a great example of what I like seeing in a student,” Miller says. “She is easy to talk to, open to ideas about her future, willing to engage in co-curricular programming, and incredibly hard-working.
“Her extensive experience, persistence, hard work, and willingness to develop skills related to the job search — cover-letter writing, resume creation, interview practice — are what ultimately landed her the role at Ford,” Miller says. “I’m confident she took this same attitude into her internship, and I have no doubt she represented Denison in a professional manner.”
Robbie has three pieces of advice for Denison students on the hunt for internships.
“First, utilize the Knowlton Center,” she says. “The career coaches there provide the absolute best resources and guidance to set you up for success, from finding opportunities to effectively marketing yourself in interviews.
“Second, get to know yourself and what you want out of an internship, but keep an open mind,” she says. “You never know where unexpected opportunities will lead.”
“Finally,” she says, “start early. Eagerness goes a long way, and many companies have early-career programs tailored for underclassmen. You don’t have to wait until your junior year to start looking. And remember: All experience is valuable. Whether it is volunteering or a part-time job, it all helps you grow.”
