From Healthcare Operations to Brand Management: Asari Yahati's Internship at Campbell's

Internship Company: Campbell’s Company

Internship Department: Brand Management/Marketing

Internship Location: Camden, New Jersey 

Position Before MBA: 

• Title: Home Health Occupational Therapist
• Company: Allegheny Health Network
• Location: Pittsburgh, PA

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How did you secure your internship?

The most important lesson I learned was to apply for any opportunity that genuinely interests you, even if you feel unsure about your qualifications. I found this internship through Owl Careers and other job posting sites. After researching the company, I initially doubted I would hear back because of my non-traditional background. But if I had let that false assumption stop me, I would have missed out on an incredible summer learning experience at Campbell’s.

A non-traditional background can bring valuable transferable skills such as communication, organization, critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork. The Career Development Office (CDO) also helped me highlight these strengths on my resume in a way that resonated with recruiters.

I also dedicated time to refining my resume and pitch, actively seeking feedback from others to gain different perspectives and ensure I was well prepared. The interview process included a phone screening with one associate brand manager and a final interview with two senior associate managers, which included a case. Fortunately, Rice Business’ recruiting preparation helped me feel confident throughout the process.

What is your role and responsibilities during the internship?

I was one of six MBA brand management interns at Campbell’s. While the company is known for its iconic tomato soup, it also owns a portfolio of well-known brands including Goldfish by Pepperidge Farm, Kettle Chips, Cape Cod, Swanson and Rao’s. Each intern was assigned a brand and challenged to solve a real business problem.

I took full ownership of my project for the $650 million brand, focusing on identifying white space opportunities to drive future growth. This involved proactively conducting market landscape research, performing deep data analysis, learning new tools and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams. As the scope of the project was broad, I regularly shared progress and insights with team members to stay aligned and ensure we remained focused. At the end of the summer, I delivered my strategic recommendations to vice presidents, brand managers and the broader team.

A key part of my role was quickly ramping up on the consumer-packaged goods industry and applying agile, hypothesis-driven thinking to draw insights from complex data. I developed data-backed hypotheses, created visual storytelling and presented actionable recommendations while working closely with teams across consumer insights, customer strategy and supply chain. 

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How did your MBA coursework prepare you for this internship?

Before pursuing my MBA, I worked in the healthcare industry as a frontline provider, and I was involved in operational improvement and service innovation. While I had some experience using data, this was my first time working with large datasets in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) space.

When I received my problem statement, I immediately applied what I had learned in the MBA program. I built an issue tree, identified key drivers and prioritized my analyses using a hypothesis-driven approach. This was something I was not equipped to do before starting my MBA journey.

Rice Business courses in strategy, marketing, finance and organizational behavior, as well as the Global Field Experience, provided critical tools and frameworks that helped me craft a clear, data-backed strategic recommendation. There were many moments during the summer when I thought, “This is exactly what I learned in class.” I am truly grateful for how both academic courses and extracurricular opportunities prepared me to succeed and exceed expectations during my internship.

How does the internship align with your career goals?

Some of my goals in pursuing an MBA were to diversify my professional experience, remain open to new learning opportunities, and build a meaningful network for both my career and life. This internship gave me firsthand exposure to brand strategy, consumer behavior and cross-functional collaboration, all of which are essential components of general management. It also helped me strengthen a transferable skill set that I can apply across industries, particularly in roles that blend strategy, innovation and impact.

Most importantly, I was able to form meaningful relationships with both interns and full-time employees. Campbell’s offers a well-structured and supportive program for brand management interns, which created a strong environment for connection and learning.

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned during my MBA journey is that networking truly matters. Building relationships with talented, driven and inspiring people is one of the most important assets I’ve gained from this internship. It directly aligns with my career goal of expanding a network that is both personally and professionally fulfilling.

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What is your favorite part of your internship experience?

First, I truly enjoyed the learning moments. Understanding how people think, how they interpret data and how they are persuaded by insights was both challenging and fulfilling. Working at Campbell’s gave me access to massive data in the CPG space to find out market share, trending SKUs, consumer trends and more. One of the most rewarding challenges was translating complex analysis into clear, actionable insights.

Second, the experience itself. Working on a $650 million brand and collaborating with cross-functional teams was an incredible opportunity, especially at a company with such strong distribution across the United States. I learned to analyze consumer trends, understand shifting demand and forecast the potential impact of strategic decisions on areas like supply chain. It was exciting to see the real-world outcomes of our work, especially when noticing changes at the retail level. Now I view shelf space and advertising in grocery stores with an entirely new perspective.

Lastly, the people. I met so many supportive and inspiring individuals, including both interns and full-time employees. I truly hope to stay connected with many of them well beyond the internship. The relationships I built this summer were some of the most meaningful parts of the experience.  

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Do not hesitate to reach out and start building your network early. Networking is not just about finding a job. It’s about learning, growing and discovering unexpected opportunities through meaningful conversations.

Stay humble throughout the journey. Securing an internship is the result of your hard work, skills and experience, but also timing and a bit of luck. There are so many generous people who are willing to support, guide and encourage you, even while managing their own responsibilities.

Keep challenging the imposter syndrome. It is normal to question whether you are qualified or capable enough but having a strong and positive mindset makes a difference. When you face setbacks, remind yourself that it is a valuable opportunity to grow and learn. Most importantly, enjoy the experience and embrace it as an important part of your life journey.