A senior Accounting major with a minor in Business Administration, Brunatti spent four months as an intern with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), where she took on meaningful projects, worked with professionals across the company, and gained valuable experience that will follow her well beyond her time at Flagler. She also left the internship with a job offer.
The opportunity began with a connection at Flagler.
Brunatti learned about the ICE Internship Program through Dr. Charles White, dean of the School of Business, who had her in his Principles of Management class and regularly shared internship opportunities with his students. After Brunatti reached out, White introduced her to ICE, connected her with Ryan Garretson, a vice president at the company and Flagler College Board of Trustees member, and wrote her a letter of recommendation.
“I would say the professional connections that professors at Flagler have can really help when you're looking for an internship,” Brunatti said.
Brunatti joined ICE's Jacksonville office as a ServiceNow Business Analyst intern. She initially trained with a senior business analyst, but when that employee went on maternity leave, Brunatti took over her projects.
Throughout that transition, Brunatti said her manager, Brittani Pietrick, played a major role in her success, providing support and encouragement throughout her time at ICE.
One of Brunatti’s projects involved the New York Stock Exchange, giving her the opportunity to contribute to work tied to one of the world's most recognizable financial institutions. While the projects were internal and Brunatti could not share many specifics, she said the experience stood out because she was trusted with meaningful work rather than simply being given tasks to fill her time.
“I feel like everything that I was doing contributed to the bigger picture,” she said.
That responsibility also gave Brunatti the chance to put her communication and problem-solving skills to work.
At one point, she found herself working on a project that had already been in progress for months that hadn’t quite come together. With colleagues busy and a new set of software and processes to learn, Brunatti recognized that bringing the right people together could help move the project forward.
She suggested scheduling a meeting with the necessary stakeholders. The meeting went well, and the project moved closer to release. By the time her internship ended, Brunatti had helped release two projects.
The experience helped Brunatti build confidence in a professional setting, something she considers one of the most valuable parts of her internship.
“I gained so much confidence while I was there,” she said. “I worked with amazing people. Everyone in the company was so helpful and nice, but they also gave me the confidence to do things on my own.”
The internship also gave Brunatti an opportunity to experience ICE beyond their Jacksonville office.
She and other interns traveled to New York City for a week, where they worked from ICE's Manhattan office, met other members of their intern cohort, and participated in team-building activities and professional development sessions. They also visited the New York Stock Exchange, where Brunatti toured the trading floor, watched the closing bell, and received a professional headshot.
For Brunatti, it was also her first time flying by herself, an experience she viewed as her first business trip.
“It was seriously such an unforgettable experience,” she said.
While ICE gave Brunatti the chance to apply her education in a professional setting, she also saw how her experience at Flagler had prepared her for the opportunity.
She pointed to White's Principles of Management course, her business classes and accounting coursework with Dr. Ryan Parris as important parts of her preparation. She also credited Flagler's Business Week networking opportunities with helping her become more comfortable communicating with professionals and putting herself out there.
“A lot of my business classes were very foundational in getting me ready for this opportunity,” Brunatti said.
Now, the experience will continue beyond her senior year.
ICE offered Brunatti a full-time position following her graduation, turning her four-month internship into the beginning of her career.
“I’m really excited to continue that relationship and start working with them,” Brunatti said.
For now, Brunatti is back at Flagler for her senior year. But when she graduates next May, she won't start from scratch. She'll bring with her four months of experience, a stronger sense of what she's capable of, and a job waiting for her. She is also continuing to build her experience on campus, serving as secretary of the Student Accounting Society during her senior year.
Looking back on the internship, Brunatti said the biggest change was not simply what she learned about business, but how much more confident she became in her ability to contribute.
“I think the biggest thing that I learned was to have confidence,” Brunatti said. “Just having the confidence to speak up and ask questions and not be afraid to make mistakes can make a big difference.”
