Student Intern Hopes to Make a More Equitable Corporate America

Eddie Frausto, a junior marketing major at Georgia State University, thinks often about issues of equity in the areas of work he does on campus, motivating him to work towards a more equitable corporate America.

“Diversity-of-thought is key,” Frausto says. “When everyone looks the same at the table, you’re not going to have as many different ideas to help your business or your community grow. By adding different points-of-view, you can amplify those who have not necessarily had a voice in the past.”

Frausto is one of the Spring 2023 interns with Every Learner Everywhere. Originally from Chicago, he received a scholarship to Georgia State as a Goizueta Scholar. That scholarship program is funded through the Goizueta Endowment and coordinated through Latinx Student Services and Outreach (LASSO) at Georgia State.

“The scholarship brings together a cohort of like-minded Latino/a students on college campuses,” Frausto says. “This program is great because it provides both academic and economic support systems for Latino/a students, one of the most marginalized groups on campus. If I didn’t have the financial support, I couldn’t have come to Georgia State.”

Goals for Every Learner internship

Frausto first heard about the Every Learner Everywhere internship through a classmate who was previously an Every Learner intern. He was drawn to the internship program for its focus on marginalized groups and as an opportunity for a new perspective.

“My commitment is not just to the Latino community, but to first-generation students, low-income students, and people of color,” Frausto explains. “I wanted to take on an internship where I could make a difference. This internship allows me to explore higher education, combine education and technology, and focus on DEI issues.”

Along with his fellow Every Learner interns, Frausto will be working on the academic continuity plan analysis, comparing over 100 different university plans and offering suggestions on supporting staff and students in times of emergency. Frausto is also looking forward to the thought leadership sessions, conversations on cultural topics the interns participate in with Every Learner colleagues.

“One interesting discussion we had was on some of the negative perceptions of the term Latinx and how to generate a term that is inclusive and sustainable,” he says. “These conversations are complex but lead to deeper insights.”

Intersection of business and diversity, equity, and inclusion

Frausto hopes to take the lessons he learns from this internship with him after he graduates from college. He sees DEI initiatives as important benchmarks not just for academic institutions but for businesses, too.

“When I was an intern with Bank of America, I did a lot of forecasting on future account enrollment to predict the future demographics of the country,” he said. “America is an immigrant nation — the melting pot — but that diversity is not represented at the highest levels of society. We need more initiatives for DEI and overall employee benefits to make a great workplace culture.”

Frausto is also currently serving as the President of Georgia State’s student chapter of ALPFA, (Association of Latino Professionals for America). ALPFA supports Latino students through professional development workshops, connecting students to recruiters, panel events, and speaking engagements for alumni working in the corporate world.

“I feel fortunate to serve as the president for our chapter of ALPFA,” Frausto says. “It is also a responsibility. We want to bring more people into the chapter, seek out internships for students, and create networking opportunities. We also want to make sure our members have financial and academic support.”

Along with professional development opportunities, Frausto also acknowledges the sense of community ALPFA provides.

“My brother and sister told me about how much being involved in campus life changed their college experience,” he notes. “They shared with me that being a first-generation college student can be lonely. Being able to find friends and create that ‘second family’ is really important.”

Looking toward the future

Frausto plans to enter the field of marketing and sales after he graduates and has built a strong background for that work during college. Every Learner is his fourth internship, and he will intern in summer 2023 at Adobe in New York City working in business development. He hopes to continue to advocate for equity and inclusion in his future career and work towards a more equitable corporate America.

“As long as I can still serve on an advisory board, help out nonprofits, and help other marginalized communities progress, I’ll have met my goal,” Frausto says.