
BGSU doctoral student lands prestigious biotech internship with AbbVie
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
Working closely with the BGSU Kuhlin Career Hub, Bankole Kumolu-Johnson obtained a three-tiered internship with a global biopharmaceutical company
By Branden Ferguson
Bowling Green State University doctoral student Bankole Kumolu-Johnson was one of 10 students nationwide selected for a prestigious internship at the global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie.
Leveraging the unique and comprehensive career services at BGSU, Kumolu-Johnson was accepted into AbbVie's Portfolio Program Management EMBRACE Internship.
“I am earning more than an education at BGSU,” said Kumolu-Johnson, who is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies in the BGSU College of Education and Human Development. “I gained skillsets I didn’t know I needed, found a support system and set myself up for a successful internship and a meaningful career. At BGSU, you are never alone. Every step along the way, you realize there are people there to support and help you.”
The multi-step internship supported Kumolu-Johnson's career goals by providing hands-on experience in project management and exposing him to the pharmaceutical industry’s multi-faceted operations. It also allowed him to apply his analytical leadership skills while gaining a deeper understanding of strategic portfolio management.

Kumolu-Johnson also worked with a quality assurance team to gather and analyze data and in regulatory documentation, learning about data protection and AI in healthcare.
Offering career design coaching to BGSU students, while also fostering corporate partnerships and connections, the Kuhlin Hub for Career Design and Connections provided the foundation Kumolu-Johnson needed to succeed.
“Coming from Nigeria, I sought out help to improve myself professionally and prepare for my future career,” said Kumolu-Johnson. “I worked with my career design coach at the Kuhlin Career Hub, who worked with me directly and provided valuable career advice. The Kuhlin Career Hub quickly became a place of support and guidance, allowing me to prepare for interviews and build my confidence.
“Furthermore, the networking opportunities presented by the Kuhlin Career Hub helped set the foundation and taught me how to interact with recruiters and potential job contacts at hiring events.”
As associate director of career design in the Kuhlin Career Hub, Beth Miller worked directly with Kumolu-Johnson to educate and empower him.
"The Kuhlin Career Hub works with students to help them achieve career readiness by prototyping roles in their chosen industry," said Miller. "Collaboration between our career design coaches, corporate partnerships and connections team, and campus partners is essential for providing different types of experiences for students to engage and learn from professionals which can lead to internships like Bankole has achieved."
Kumolu-Johnson plans to complete his doctorate later this year and aspires to work in a quality assurance or supply chain role within a large pharmaceutical company. With experience from his internship at AbbVie and the support and confidence from the Kuhlin Career Hub, Kumolu-Johnson said he’s positioned for success.
“This internship experience reinforced my interest in bridging technical expertise with business strategy and equipped me with invaluable insights into cross-functional collaboration and process optimization,” said Kumolu-Johnson.
Related Stories
Media Contact | Michael Bratton | mbratto@bgsu.edu | 419-372-6349
Updated: 02/12/2025 08:05AM