Before returning to college for her senior year, corporate communications intern, Tess Lietzan, sat down for a quick chat with George Masson. A graduate student studying Science Technology and Environmental policy at the University of Minnesota, George spent his summer with MISO’s strategy team in Eagan, MN. He shared his thoughts on what it was like to intern at MISO. 

Tess Lietzan: What have you learned during this internship?

George Masson: It’s been constant learning, but one of the most important things I learned is communication skills are essential. It took practice talking and explaining my work to those who don’t have a background in that topic. Communication also helped me create lasting relationships outside of my department. 

The energy sector is very large and complex… it interrelates with [many] social drivers of change. [To] be an intern at a company like this allows you the chance to learn and keep bettering yourself through overcoming challenges. What MISO does really well is allow interns the space to learn as well as do their job. There is a sense of humility where it’s like there is just an insane amount of intelligent people.  

TL: Tell me a bit about your day-to-day routine this summer? 

GM: Trying to understand how utilities’ statements and policy goals compare to what’s occurring in the resource mix across the MISO footprint. My work [is] essentially to gauge overall what’s happening with regional utilities—their sentiments and what that tells MISO about the future. 

[Doing] daily manual research, collecting statements from utilities and putting them into a database. I thought intentionally about how MISO can display that information internally, collaborating with other teams to leverage projects and developments outside of the strategy department.  

TL: How has this internship prepared you for the rest of your career?  

GM: This experience has really proven to me that I can enter a very difficult position (that is complicated with real impacts) and that I can learn and thrive and still contribute something that is meaningful. Not only has this been a learning opportunity but it has been a confidence booster. If you can work here, you can work anywhere. Even though I don’t know everything about energy systems, I now have the confidence in myself to figure out how to contribute.  

TL: What are some of your best memories at MISO this summer?  

GM: A few things. The chance to fly into Carmel, for one, and running through my final presentation. There is a lot of anxiety in a situation like that, but at the time, it was like, “Wow, I’m doing this and I matter. I’m contributing.”  

Also, the chance to volunteer at a MISOCares food bank event. Seeing all the high-level staff in that environment showed that, on top of all the amazing work MISO does, there still is that desire to do more from the company. It made me realize there are some really amazing people here at MISO who go above and beyond.