- Majority of Eligible Students Offered Full-Time Jobs -

(BLACK PR WIRE) – DES MOINES, IA, July 16, 2012 – Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced today that it has hired a diverse group of 77 college students to participate in Wells Fargo Home Mortgage’s Diversity Internship this summer. The successful program, now in its fourth year, exposes the interns to responsibilities within the mortgage business through hands-on experiences, and achieves the company’s goal to create and maintain a talented, diverse workforce.

“We have an impressive group of young people who are interning with us this summer and we are excited about the promise they show for the industry and for Wells Fargo said Cerita Battles, SVP, diverse segments, national sales manager, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. “Diversity is a Wells Fargo core value and it’s important that our team members represent the communities we serve. The Diversity Internship is a key initiative to help us reach that goal.”

The internship program underscores the need for the brightest future leaders to represent diverse backgrounds. The company’s recruiters reach out to students attending large colleges and universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. This year the number of interns increased. Of 2,500 applicants, 77 were chosen to intern with nearly 67% representing diverse backgrounds.

Intense Competition
The internship program is highly competitive. Rising and graduating seniors are eligible to apply. Interns are chosen after a rigorous selection process that includes qualifying through a written application and a series of interviews. Students are evaluated on their ability to set and reach goals, their drive to learn, and how well they react in customer-facing situations. Applicants also are required to demonstrate an interest in serving diverse communities through work and volunteer activities. All interns have at least one year of customer-facing work experience. 

Once they arrive at Wells Fargo, the interns spend time getting acclimated to their location and technology, and then they attend a customized onboarding session with other interns. “Our entire focus is on the learning path, from their first day to their last,” said Charlie Grandinetti, VP, national diverse segments director of support and internship program leader. “We want to provide a well-rounded experience so they can hit the ground running if they become a full-time team member.” 

Over the summer interns work closely with home mortgage consultants and other mortgage leaders to meet weekly objectives. They also meet regularly as a group to ensure they are on track. When the program concludes, eligible interns are invited to apply for available entry-level positions at Wells Fargo.
Former intern and current team member Joseph Millhouse said the internship was what convinced him that he wanted to work with Wells Fargo. “I wanted to get into real estate,” he said, “but I didn’t know much about Wells Fargo until I started doing some research about internships. I was really drawn to the opportunities for growth and advancement.”

About Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is the nation’s leading mortgage lender and services one of every six mortgage loans in the nation. A division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., it has a national presence in mortgage stores and banking stores, and also serves the home financing needs of customers nationwide through its call centers, Internet presence and third-party production channels.