Student Spotlight: USF senior Deeya Patel turns Bellini coaching into an internship and full-time job before graduation

TAMPA – Deeya Patel’s appointment calendar as a student speaker is booked solid these days. 
 
The University of South Florida Muma College of Business senior started October as the featured student speaker at USF’s 2024 Women in Leadership and Philanthropy Symposium. Her speech was about realizing her dream of attending college as a first-generation Indian student. 
 
Weeks later, she was slated to share her story again — before other first-in-their-families college students at the Corporate Mentor Breakfast. Due to Hurricane Milton, she will have to wait until 2025 to recount how she charted her professional path with support from corporate mentors. 
 
The 20-year-old is on track to graduate in December and hopes her achievement story inspires others. 
 
“When I first considered USF, I was drawn to its diverse, vibrant community and the endless opportunities for students from all backgrounds and financial situations,” she told the crowd of community leaders and philanthropists. “My experiences at USF have been transformative.” 
 
In less than two months, she graduates with two bachelor’s degrees — one in global business and one in business management. She’s already working full-time as a new business assistant at White & Case, after serving as a summer intern at the multinational law firm. Her next step: attending law school.

Bellini Center coaching

The groundwork for that success was laid more than a year ago, when she attended resume workshops, did mock interviews, and met with career coaches at the Bellini Center for Talent Development. 
 
Her goal: to land a summer internship by attending the Bellini Center’s 2023 Fall Internship Showcase.

With the help of coaches at the Bellini Center, she refined her resume and cover letter. She rehearsed her elevator pitch at mock interviews. She practiced conversing with people in a professional setting and even honed her body language skills in front of a mirror.

“When the Internship Showcase came around, I was ready, because I took the time to meet with all these different coaches to get their opinions and feedback,” Patel said. “I feel like I was actually very prepared because I knew how bad I wanted this internship, so I just went for it.” 
 
She credits the intense prep work from the Bellini Center for helping her secure the summer internship. 
 
Next up: the follow up. She was confident she had made a good impression with recruiters, but she still had work to do. After the recruiting event, she followed up with the firm’s hiring manager and continued to stay in touch, mentioning some of the talking points from the USF event. 
 
“Even when I wouldn’t hear back, I would reach out,” she said, explaining how her persistence paid off. “You have to be proactive in your own self. You cannot wait for opportunities to come to you. You must seek them out yourself.” 

"Confidence is key. While we don’t expect interns to know everything on their first day, we do look for candidates who are eager to ask questions, are willing to learn, and are not afraid to take on challenges" — David Musser

Patel did land the summer internship at White & Case. And after the internship, the firm asked her to stay on and work full-time as a new business assistant. 
 
“I just love the environment here,” she said. “Ever since I came here, they've all been so welcoming. And, it's just a great place to really grow.”

A resource for employers 

From the employer side, the Bellini Center has been an invaluable resource over the past two years for White & Case as its Tampa office has restructured and relaunched its local internship program. 
 
Before working with Bellini, the firm’s Tampa office struggled with effectively connecting with the broader student population. Also, many of the applications came from students who were not in the relevant fields or majors.

But the firm’s 2024 summer internship program in Tampa was a resounding success, from the pool of talented students who attended the Internship Showcase and from other USF students recommended by the Bellini staff, said David Musser, director of Tampa Global Operations at White & Case. 
 
Musser, who is a USF business alum, said Patel had the qualities that the hiring managers look for. 
 
“Deeya has been an incredible addition to our team since the start of her internship. Her enthusiasm and proactive attitude allowed her to make a significant impact right away,” he said.

Musser said some of the key power skills that employers are seeking can be difficult to find. 
 
“Confidence is key. While we don’t expect interns to know everything on their first day, we do look for candidates who are eager to ask questions, are willing to learn, and are not afraid to take on challenges. Often, success comes down to a candidate’s confidence in their skills, which allows them to get involved early and make an impact,” he said. 
 
Overall, Musser said partnering with the Bellini Center has been a great way to connect with and recruit top-tier students like Patel. 
 
Patel was one of the first three interns in their restructured program. 
 
“We were hoping to find individuals who could help showcase the value of a strong internship program and the caliber of the students graduating from USF to our hiring managers in Tampa,” Musser said. “Deeya accomplished that goal and exceeded our expectations. Thanks to her contributions, our internship program continues to grow.”