Internship Spotlight: Melanie Berman ’26, Microsoft
Melanie Berman ’26 spent the summer developing monetization strategy at a leading tech company.
Internship company name and location: Microsoft, Redmond campus in Washington
Hometown: I’m originally from Seattle but grew up in New Jersey
Pronouns: she/her/hers
The SOM class you’re using on the job: Competitor
Go-to work lunch: A made-to-order omelet from the second-floor dining hall. I’d eat eggs for every meal if I could.
After-work routine: Attend a workout class at the PRO Club, walk my dog around the neighborhood, meet friends for dinner, and maybe watch some Love Island.
Favorite thing about internship city: The stunning mountain views and access to nature
What drew me to intern at Microsoft during my MBA was a combination of curiosity, ambition, and shared values. As one of the most influential players in the AI space, Microsoft offers a front-row seat to understand how companies can use cutting-edge technology to transform industries. I was especially interested in learning from innovators grounded in thoughtful, responsible, and sustainable development.
I also wanted to challenge myself by stepping into a company dramatically larger than any I’d worked at before. Before SOM, the biggest organization I’d been a part of had around 30 employees. Microsoft has over 200,000. I was eager to experience how decisions are made and products are shipped at this scale.
Beyond the technology and the size, what ultimately sealed the deal for me were the people and the culture. Everyone I met during the interview process was warm, thoughtful, and genuinely enthusiastic about the work they do. Microsoft’s emphasis on inclusivity and adaptability came through in every conversation. Since starting my internship, that’s only been reinforced by my cross-functional team, who have been incredibly generous with their time and support. It’s clear the company invests deeply in this program and sees MBA interns as future leaders. Many company leaders, I’ve since learned, started as MBA interns as well.
This summer, I’m working on a monetization strategy for a product associated with Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, Azure. My manager, Bharat Wadhwa, has been a fantastic leader, pushing me to think critically, ask better questions, and grow through every challenge. As a business planner, I partner with teams across finance, product and engineering, marketing, research, and sales, and present my recommendations to our VP. A big part of my role is bringing these diverse stakeholders into alignment around a shared vision.
Many SOM classes have been useful to me this summer. Core courses Competitor and Modeling Managerial Decisions sharpened my strategic lens, and How to Design and Run Business Experiments taught me how to build a clear, compelling story in slide format. (Even if I’m not running literal experiments!) Negotiations helped me frame my ideas persuasively, and courses like Workforce and Managing Groups & Teams have been essential for collaborating cross-functionally in a thoughtful and empathetic way.
Outside of work, I’ve connected with the local SOM community by hiking with classmates, exploring new places in the Pacific Northwest, and grabbing coffee with SOM alumni at Microsoft. It’s been a great reminder of how supportive and far-reaching the SOM network is.
This internship has given me hands-on experience working on a high-impact, strategic business challenge at one of the world’s leading tech companies. It helped me clarify that I want to continue working at the intersection of product, strategy, and storytelling at a company that values mission-driven work. It also deepened my appreciation for the SOM curriculum. I found myself applying lessons from many of my classes in real time.
Coming from early-stage startups, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel working in such a large company like Microsoft. But I was surprised (in the best way) by the warm and personal atmosphere. My team truly values my input, and the culture of mentorship and respect is strong. The scale of Microsoft means that if you're curious and proactive, the learning opportunities are endless. Many of my colleagues have explored multiple roles and functions over their careers here. From internal Days of Learning to coffee chats with experts in various departments, every week has brought something new.
