Intern to Full Time

The Intern to Full-Time series highlights how Kuraray America internships can grow into meaningful career opportunities. Through stories from former interns who have transitioned into full-time roles, this page showcases hands-on experience, mentorship, professional growth, and the real-world impact of beginning a career at KAI.

From First Day to Full-Time: Fernando Baltazar's Journey at Kuraray America

Fernando's journey reinforces that taking the time to understand the work, learning from those around you, and building confidence step by step can open doors far beyond a single internship.

From First Day to Full-Time: Ramsha Syed's Journey at Kuraray America

From First Day to Full-Time: Brooke Kuithe's Journey at Kuraray America

Her path from HR intern to contractor and now Marketing Coordinator was shaped by people who consistently believed in her potential.

From First Day to Full-Time: Marissa Sterling’s Journey at Kuraray America

From First Day to Full-Time: Ramsha Syed's Journey at Kuraray America

Her progression has also come full circle: after beginning her career with the guidance from experienced peers, Ramsha has now mentored 3 interns and is currently supporting the 4th.

From First Day to Full-Time: Felipe Garza’s Journey at Kuraray America

He credits Brayden Fisher for giving him the independence to take ownership of his work while remaining available whenever guidance is needed.

From First Day to Full-Time: Marissa Sterling’s Journey at Kuraray America

Her experience has also been shaped by mentorship. Marissa credits Ramsha S. and Andrew Le Blanc, P.E. for their patience, guidance and willingness to help her learn throughout her internship and transition into her new role.

From First Day to Full-Time: Yanet Guerra’s Journey at Kuraray America

Yanet also credits her supervisor, Yasunari Tsukamoto “Rocky”, for giving her the guidance, trust and opportunities to continue growing her technical skills and take on greater responsibility within the team.

From First Day to Full-Time: Bryan Le's Journey at Kuraray America

Bryan’s first assignment as an intern was not a hypothetical exercise. He spent his internship sourcing a warehouse for KAI’s Elastomers business, gaining direct experience with a long-term supply chain need.

From First Day to Full-Time: Sonya Ortiz’s Journey at Kuraray America

During her internship, Sonya gained firsthand experience in a manufacturing environment and saw how engineering supports safe, reliable, and efficient operations.

From First Day to Full-Time: Hannah Jensen’s Journey at Kuraray America

Hannah’s story is a reminder that an internship can be more than a short-term experience. With the right opportunity, support, and mentorship, a first day can become the beginning of a lasting career.