Olivia Rardin stepped out of her comfort zone when she applied for the PepsiCo Health, Safety and Environmental Undergraduate Summer Internship program in Indianapolis. (Supplied photo)
A high-impact environmental, health and safety internship helped Olivia Rardin gain career clarity and confidence
BGSU environmental studies student Olivia Rardin gained high-impact experience during a 10-week summer internship at PepsiCo. Seeing a workplace injury during her internship underscored the life-saving importance of her work, boosting her confidence and career outlook. Rardin credits BGSU’s close-knit community and interdisciplinary coursework for preparing her to succeed in the environmental, health and safety field.
Key Highlights
Student: Olivia Rardin
Major: Environmental studies
Internship: PepsiCo (Indianapolis)
Impactful work
Updating PepsiCo's training modules for OSHA, DOT and the EPA, Rardin's work impacts the company's new hires, frontline workers and upper management.
Real-world change
After an employee suffered third-degree burns on the job, Rardin realized the impact of her work on safety training and guidelines.
Everything happens for a reason
After starting college at another university, Rardin found herself back home at BGSU. She credits her BGSU experience and education for her internship success, and is now eager to apply what she learned in the classroom.
“Going to another university first allowed me to appreciate Bowling Green’s smaller classes, experienced faculty and family-like atmosphere. I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be, and my experiences have all led to this amazing opportunity.”
OLIVIA RARDIN
BGSU ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR
Olivia Rardin stepped out of her comfort zone when she applied for the PepsiCo Health, Safety and Environmental Undergraduate Summer Internship program in Indianapolis. As an environmental studies major at Bowling Green State University, she set her sights on the 10-week program, which offered 40 hours a week of hands-on experience in a manufacturing setting – an area she had never experienced before.
"One of my jobs was to create an annual schedule of safety training for EHS managers and frontline employees throughout the company in the U.S.," Rardin said. "I was also asked to review the training materials for PepsiCo’s global environmental health and safety management system. There were 172 trainings, and I was tasked with updating the training modules regarding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”
Rardin’s work directly impacts current and future PepsiCo employees, from frontline workers to management. While she was eager to impress her supervisor, she didn’t realize just how important her work was until she encountered a real-world accident.
“While working at PepsiCo, an employee suffered third-degree burns after failing to complete the proper lockout/tagout procedure that was in place,” Rardin said. “It helped me realize how important the work I was doing really was. My work directly impacts employees, their families and beyond.”
Bowling Green’s environmental studies program takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach to complex environmental problems, merging social sciences, humanities and environmental science. Rardin said the full scope of coursework helped her feel prepared for her internship.
“Thanks to my time at BGSU, I was already familiar with environmental policy, management and ethics,” Rardin said. “While PepsiCo provided me with insight into the manufacturing side of environmental, health and safety (EHS), I was not overwhelmed because of the experiential learning and coursework at Bowling Green.”
Growing up in Waterville, Ohio, Rardin was only 20 minutes away from BGSU. However, when it came time to choose a school for environmental studies, she initially chose another university, an experience that helped her fully value what Bowling Green offers.
"Going to another university first allowed me to appreciate Bowling Green’s smaller classes, experienced faculty and family-like atmosphere,” Rardin said. “A big reason I chose to transfer to BGSU was the ability to have personal relationships with professors and have access to them. I don’t feel like a number at BGSU. They remember my name and have my best interests in mind.
“I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be, and my experiences have all led to this amazing opportunity.”
While Rardin said she is not sure where her career in environmental, health and safety will take her, she is thankful for the opportunity to understand the manufacturing side of the field.
“I didn’t realize just how impactful this internship would be,” Rardin said. “I learned about a new area of EHS but also gained more confidence in my abilities. I am excited to complete my final semesters at BGSU and apply my knowledge in a professional career where I can continue to learn and contribute."
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Updated: 11/03/2026 02:05PM