Internship Spotlight: Sharon Gao ’26, Boston Consulting Group
Sharon Gao ’26 explored the supply chain operations field with a summer internship at a large consulting firm.
Internship: Boston Consulting Group (BCG), New Jersey
Hometowns: Anhui, China, and Toronto, Canada
Pronouns: she/her/hers
The SOM classes you’re using on the job: Operations Engine and Supply Chain Management
Go-to work lunch: Restaurants close to client site/amazing catering at the Jersey office!
After-work routine: Gym, team events, NYC exploration, sleep
Favorite thing about internship city: Catching up with colleagues and friends in the office and exploring NYC during weekends with friends!
This summer, I interned with BCG in the New Jersey office as a summer consultant. My project focused on helping a retail grocery client optimize supply chain efficiency by designing and implementing initiatives to reduce excessive inventory.
My summer was challenging and rewarding at the same time. Coming into the project with a limited background in grocery retail and supply chain operations, I had to ramp up quickly on a steep learning curve. However, with strong support from my case team, BCG’s extensive knowledge resources, and the incredible network of people across the firm, I was able to contribute meaningfully from the start.
During my summer, no two days were the same. Over the course of 10 weeks, I strengthened my technical and soft skills through building models and workflows, conducting expert interviews, performing industry benchmarking analysis, and tackling both qualitative and quantitative challenges.
What was truly special about BCG was how deeply invested people were in my development. No matter how busy the case became, my project leader always made time for our weekly feedback sessions, offering tangible and actionable guidance that pushed me to grow into a more well-rounded consultant.
By the end of the internship, I was struck by how much I had grown—not only in industry knowledge, but also in strategic thinking, structured problem-solving, and effective communication.
SOM played a vital role in making my summer experience possible—especially through the resources and support offered by the SOM Consulting Club. The comprehensive and structured Consulting Club curriculum prepared me well for every step along the recruitment journey, and the supportive community I found at SOM carried through the summer as an invaluable network. I am excited to serve as one of the co-presidents of the Consulting Club this year, giving back to the community that has been a cornerstone of my journey.
Finally, I want to give a heartfelt shout-out to the amazing SOM classmates and alums at BCG who made my summer both possible and memorable. Thank you for being my cheerleaders through the highs and lows!
