Efficiency in Action: Operations Internship Stories from Foster MBAs
Foster Full-time MBA students Harkarn, John, Purvi, and Farhan share their summer internship experiences in operations roles across the industry.
Written By: Chirag Chinmay, contributing writer, Foster School of Business
Operations is the backbone of any successful business, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and seamless execution. For Foster School of Business MBA students, an internship in operations provides a front-row seat to tackle real-world challenges in supply chain management, process optimization, and strategic execution. We spoke with a few Foster MBAs, Harkarn, Farhan, Purvi, and John, who immersed themselves in diverse operations roles across multiple industries, gaining hands-on experience that shaped their career perspectives. In this blog, they share insights from their internships — the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and how their time at Foster prepared them to make an impact.
Meet Harkarn Bains, a Senior Operations Manager Intern at Amazon through the Pathways program. Before pursuing his MBA at Foster, Harkarn worked as a Project Manager in the commercial construction space, overseeing complex projects and ensuring seamless execution. His journey began at South Seattle Community College before transferring to the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. This summer, Harkarn leveraged his background to navigate the fast-paced world of operations at Amazon, tackling logistical challenges and driving efficiency in one of the world’s most dynamic supply chain environments.
Meet John Haney, a Global Supply & Sourcing Manager Intern at Apple. Before joining Foster, John spent nine years serving as a Supply Corps Officer in the U.S. Navy, where he managed logistics, procurement, and supply chain operations in high-stakes environments. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and Molecular Biology from the University of West Florida. This summer, John brought his extensive experience in supply chain management to Apple, where he worked on optimizing sourcing strategies and driving efficiencies in the company’s global operations.
Meet Purvi Mahajan, a Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy Intern at the SAP Global Center of Excellence. Before pursuing her MBA at Foster, Purvi built a strong foundation in technology and operations, earning a bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation and Electronics Engineering from the National Institute of Technology. She began her career with India’s largest oil marketing company, where she quickly advanced from an Operations Engineer to an Operations Manager. In her role, she led large-scale digital transformation initiatives, optimizing supply and distribution networks across India.
Meet Farhan Khan, a Senior Retail Vendor Manager (MBA Intern) at Amazon. With a background in finance, Farhan began his career at a ride-hailing company owned by Uber, where he played a pivotal role in launching and scaling operations across multiple cities in Pakistan. This fast-paced experience honed his ability to navigate complex business environments and drive strategic growth. This summer, Farhan brought his expertise to Amazon’s Seattle office, where he worked on optimizing vendor relationships and enhancing retail operations within one of the world’s largest e-commerce ecosystems.
Which industries did you target? And how was the internship search process?
Purvi: My goal was to broaden my experience beyond operations and apply my skills in a new industry. Coming from the male-dominated oil and gas sector, I built resilience and adaptability — strengths I wanted to leverage in tech. My internship search was intentional — I created a structured approach by leveraging industry connections, identifying transferable skills, and conducting personalized outreach. Foster’s tight-knit community was instrumental in my journey, as conversations with second-year students provided invaluable insights into potential roles and realistic career paths. Though the process was challenging, it expanded my network and helped me forge meaningful relationships that will last beyond my MBA.
Farhan: With a strong foundation in operations from the ride-hailing industry, I wanted to broaden my experience by exploring the retail and e-commerce sector. Amazon stood out for its innovation, data-driven approach, and global impact, making it my top target. The internship search was rigorous but rewarding — I leveraged Foster’s resources, connected with alumni, and refined my strategy with career coaches. Staying focused on Amazon helped me align my skills with the right opportunity, ultimately landing a role at one of my top-priority companies.
Which MBA Career Management events, programs, or services did you find most helpful?
Harkarn: Regularly connecting with the MBA Career Management team was crucial in my internship search. Vocalizing my interests and career goals kept my interests on their radar and ensured I received relevant opportunities and guidance. With the constantly evolving recruiting landscape, staying engaged helped me refine my strategy and make the most of available resources. Additionally, speaking with seniors who had interned in similar roles gave me valuable insights into what companies were looking for, helping me tailor my approach. Closed mouths don’t get fed — proactively seeking support made a significant difference in navigating the process effectively.
John: The MBA Career Management coaching sessions were instrumental in my interview preparation. In just 30 minutes, I could refine my STAR stories, receive targeted feedback, and uncover ways to bring more color and impact to my past experiences. These sessions helped me articulate my achievements more compellingly, transforming technical details into engaging narratives that resonated with interviewers. The structured guidance and personalized insights gave me the confidence to present my story in a clear, comprehensive, and impactful way.
How was your internship structured, and what were the major deliverables?
Harkarn: My 12-week internship was structured with a balance between project work and hands-on learning. Fifty percent of my time was dedicated to solving a site-specific project, where I analyzed challenges and implemented solutions to improve operations. The other 50% was focused on understanding the day-to-day responsibilities of a Senior Operations Manager, giving me firsthand exposure to leadership and execution in a fast-paced environment. The major deliverable was my end-of-internship presentation, where I presented my project findings and recommendations to the site General Manager and Regional Manager.
John: My internship focused on developing a proposal to mitigate “stranded labor” costs during Apple’s annual product launch. The structure of my project involved analyzing existing inefficiencies, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and crafting a strategic solution. My major deliverables included a detailed financial analysis outlining potential savings and a final presentation to Senior Management, where I shared my recommendations for optimizing labor utilization during peak demand periods.
Purvi: My six-month internship was a transformative experience that gave me hands-on exposure to business strategy and marketing innovation. I worked on a range of projects, from developing marketing campaigns to executing partner and sales engagement programs and creating impactful social media content. A key highlight was launching a podcast series featuring CMOs from top logistics companies — an initiative designed to boost the revenue pipeline by 10%. The internship also provided the opportunity to collaborate with senior leadership, offering me a comprehensive understanding of the logistics industry and its strategic landscape.
Farhan: My internship combined independent projects with cross-functional collaboration, allowing me to take on high-impact initiatives while working alongside diverse teams.
Key deliverables included:
- Streamlining a $64M furniture product line in the Home category by consolidating over 3,000 SKUs across 195 brands, targeting a 30% inventory reduction and a 20% improvement in contribution margin.
- Identifying $16M in slow-moving inventory and providing actionable recommendations that reduced holding costs by $10M while enhancing category profitability.
The structured yet dynamic nature of the internship provided clear objectives while giving me the autonomy to drive meaningful decisions and deliver measurable results.
Please tell us about some of the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
John: One of the key challenges I faced was aligning different departments to ensure they viewed the proposal through the same lens. Each team — finance, operations, logistics, and planning — had varying perspectives, and bringing them together to work towards a common goal was both rewarding and challenging. My day-to-day analysis involved deep collaboration with operations, accounting, and finance teams, and my previous experience in the military, particularly in cross-departmental coordination, proved invaluable. Additionally, the first-year MBA courses in strategy and operations helped me develop the frameworks needed to navigate these complexities and drive alignment across diverse teams.
Farhan: One of the biggest challenges I faced was adapting to Amazon’s unique document-writing culture, which prioritizes crisp, analytical writing. Fortunately, there were plenty of internal resources and mentorship from Foster alumni’s that helped me quickly get up to speed.
Transitioning from a different industry, I also had to get a solid grasp of the retail e-commerce sector. Here, several first-year MBA courses provided essential tools to navigate these challenges:
- Managerial Accounting by Darren Bernard helped me understand P&L management and key financial metrics, which were critical in my role.
- Negotiations by Christina Fong was a game-changer, as I had to negotiate multi-million-dollar contracts with vendors.
- Operations Management by Masha Shunko allowed me to analyze warehouse costs and inventory management strategies, which were directly applicable to my deliverables.
These courses gave me a strong theoretical foundation that I was able to apply immediately in real-world scenarios.
How would you describe the culture of the organization? Did you have good mentors? And did you meet colleagues or other MBA students from peer schools you plan to stay in touch with post internship?
Harkarn: Amazon’s culture is defined by its high standards and customer-obsessed mindset. What stood out most to me, though, was the empathy and approachability of my team. My mentors were incredible — they not only helped me navigate the “Amazon way” of working but also provided regular feedback on my projects, ensuring I was constantly learning and growing.
Navigating a large organization like Amazon was a challenge, especially since I was on-site at a Fulfillment Center and collaborating with Software Engineers and Finance Managers across different global offices. However, I received consistent support from my team members and managers, which helped me overcome these challenges. The UW alumni network at Amazon was another highlight — many alums went out of their way to review my work, share feedback, and offer guidance.
Purvi: From day one, SAP’s open and collaborative culture stood out to me. Team members across departments were approachable and eager to share their expertise, creating an environment focused on continuous learning. I was fortunate to have an excellent mentor who guided me through the intricacies of GTM strategy and supported my professional growth.
A defining moment during my internship was presenting my work to SAP’s Chief Revenue Officer. As a woman leading in the supply chain space, she inspired me to continue exploring opportunities in this field. Despite her packed schedule, she took the time to deeply understand my work and provide thoughtful feedback. Her encouragement left a lasting impact and was the perfect conclusion to my time at SAP.
In addition to my mentor, I formed strong connections with other interns and colleagues, many of whom I plan to stay in touch with as we continue to grow in our careers. The camaraderie and support from both internal and external stakeholders made my internship an incredibly enriching experience.
What are your plans for the second year of MBA? Anything you’re looking forward to?
Farhan: In my second year, I plan to further expand my network by connecting with UW MBA alums across various industries. I’ve found that our alumni are not only approachable but also genuinely eager to offer support. Additionally, I’m excited to participate in case competitions to continue refining my skills and gaining more hands-on experience.
Purvi: I’m excited to build on the knowledge and experiences I gained during my internship as I enter my second year of the MBA program. A key focus for me will be deepening my understanding of global business through a study abroad program in Portugal, which will offer unique insights into international markets. I’m also looking forward to continuing to learn from my peers and expanding my leadership skills. Additionally, as a board member of Women in Business and the Net Impact Club, I’m eager to explore new opportunities, especially in the sustainability space. The second year is about refining my expertise, exploring new opportunities, and preparing to make a meaningful impact in my cohort.
Harkarn: I’m excited to create lasting memories with my cohort before graduation. As the president of the MBAA Association, I’m eager to give back to the program in every way I can and help enhance the overall experience for my peers.
What advice do you have for first-year students regarding summer internships?
John: My advice for first-year students regarding summer internships is to stay resilient and keep moving forward. There will be challenges along the way, but maintaining resilience and focusing on self-improvement will help you overcome them. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for help — there is a vast network of support, whether it’s the program office, the career management office, alumni, seniors, or your peers. Everyone is more than happy to help and work towards your success.
Purvi: Network with intention and prioritize building authentic connections. My internship opportunity came through a senior’s referral, and it wouldn’t have been possible without cultivating meaningful relationships. The right opportunity may be just one conversation away, so approach networking with confidence and take every opportunity to learn and grow.
Learn more about the Foster School of Business Full-Time MBA here.
