Alison McCoun is a bright junior majoring in Finance and Operations from Annapolis, Maryland. Outside of QUEST, Alison also has served as the President of the University of Maryland Shotgun Sports Team for the past two years, and is an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha. She recently returned from the QUEST2China study abroad trip, and has an internship with Constellation Energy in Baltimore this upcoming summer.

Tell me about your upcoming internship with Constellation Energy. How did you secure this internship, and why did you choose to intern there?

I first found out about the internship through a listing on HireSmith. I needed an internship listing for my Junior English class because we were writing targeted resumes and cover letters. Since I was prepping with the listing anyway, I figured that I might as well talk to Constellation/Exelon when they came to the Smith Career Fair. I met the recruiters at the fair (one Constellation representative was QUEST alumnus Ricky Wilson) and they gave me an interview. I ended up being interviewed a few days later for the summer position but the interviewer liked me enough to hire me starting in January onto his team!

I chose to accept the offer because for one thing, it’s an easy internship to have while going to school – Baltimore is not a bad commute from campus. I also am really excited to be working in the energy industry. I am likely going to be moving around quite a bit in my future so it is good to be working for a company that has offices around the country.

You’re the President of the UMD Shotgun Sports Team. How did you get interested/involved? Why do you shoot?

At the First Look Fair freshman year, I stumbled upon the table for the team. My dad had taught me how to shoot when I was little and I was in typical “freshman mode” of signing up for every club possible. I went to a few practices and liked the people – then they told me I was good (news to me at the time). My sophomore year I became president. I was one of the few willing to step up to the challenge and the club elected me.

I like to shoot because it is a challenge every time I go to the range. Like golf, clay target shooting is a game against yourself where you are always trying to do one better. It is also a great stress reliever because you get to make things explode!

What has been your favorite experience during your time in QUEST and/or at Maryland?

My favorite experience in QUEST thus far was definitely going on the China trip. It was my first time traveling to Asia and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way.

My favorite experience at Maryland so far was probably the shooting team’s first trip to Nationals in Texas my freshman year. If you want to have an unusual experience and see a totally different world of college competition, head down to San Antonio for the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships.

What are your professional goals after graduation?

I am really happy thus far with my experience at Constellation. I see myself staying with the company for at least a few years after graduation. I am really enjoying the people that I work with and I think it could be a good fit for me more long term.