Post #1

May 15th, 2018 

For the first week of my intensive, I will be doing research and preparing for my time in Phoenix at the headquarters of First Solar. I'm still getting through my second week of APs, but I am very excited to finally head west and achieve the goals I have set out for myself. Working at a company like First Solar is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Companies of this magnitude are numbered, and I am grateful that I have this opportunity. I have a multitude of goals for my intensive. For starters, I hope to learn a lot about the alternative energy industry as a whole. In today's day and age, it's important that we study something that is going to be necessary in the very near future. Investing in alternative energy is a progressive idea that I have been a fan of for a long time now, and it will be very productive to see these processes firsthand. Furthermore, I look to get a more scientific understanding of this idea. Obviously, I've had a baseline understanding of solar energy, but actually going to the solar farms and seeing how it works will enlighten me on intricacies of alternative energy that I wouldn't be able to know about otherwise. The other major goal I have for myself is getting exposed to a more professional environment. It's hard to find companies better run and professional than First Solar so this will be the perfect experience for me. Sure I did have my winter independent study experience with Fateh Hyderabad AFC, but it wasn't that well run due to Indian politics and resources. If I were to actually get into a business as a career, this company would probably be a more an accurate representation of what I'm looking at. Lastly, I hope to truly absorb every experience I get and learn more about the world at large. There are a lot of components to this independent study. I'll be getting to go to human resources meetings, corporate communication meetings, the solar farms, and more. I hope to learn more about business, alternative energy, and professionalism as a whole. I am confident that I will have a valuable experience during this independent study.

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