#summerinternshipstory

[nysterngma-blog]

Summer Internship Stories: Katie Ressmeyer

Name: Katie Ressmeyer (Class of 2016)

Internship Company: L’Oreal

Brand: L’Oreal Paris

Role: Summer Marketing Intern

What does your brand/company stand for? As the largest beauty company in the world, L’Oreal strives to bring beauty to all.

What was your role over the summer?

Over the summer, I was a marketing intern on L’Oreal Paris’ Advanced Haircare team.

What did you do before Stern? Before Stern, I worked in digital media planning at two advertising agencies, Digitas and Mindshare. At Digitas, I was on the Mars Chocolate team, focusing on brands such as Twix, Dove, and 3 Musketeers. At Mindshare, I worked on the Land Rover account.

What were your responsibilities this past summer? I spent about 60% of my time working on a summer-long project focused on growing market share for Advanced Haircare’s Color Vibrancy line. The project required me to meet with cross-functional teams throughout the organization to learn the in’s and out’s of the product, market, and consumer. I also spent time analyzing sales and competitor data to support my recommendations. The other 40% of my time was spent on day-to-day tasks such as building slides for team meetings and compiling the weekly sales tracker.

Were you a fan of the brand/company before you worked on it? I was certainly a fan of L’Oreal’s brands! I love all Essie nail polishes and the Kiehl’s lip gloss. After this summer, I have more hair care products than can fit in my tiny New York City bathroom!

Can you tell us about a typical day in the life of an intern? My days alternated between working on my project and completing day-to-day tasks. When I was working on my project, I would spend a few hours meeting with cross-functional teams and then independent time on my presentation. About once or twice a week, the MBA interns were invited to breakfast or lunch with a senior leader at L’Oreal.

What are you looking forward to this semester? Enjoying my last (ever) semester as a student and spending time with Stern friends!

Katie Ressmeyer is a VP of Corporate Relations for the Graduate Marketing Association. Thank you Katie for sharing your experiences over the summer!

This post was brought to you by the GMA Marketing and Social Media Team.

[uwspprssa-blog]

Summer Internship Story: Hallie Evenson

“It was a great experience and so much fun.”  

Hallie Evenson spent her summer interning at Cherry Blossom Events located in Madison, Wis. Cherry Blossom Events is a wedding and event planning company that recently won “Best Planner” in Wisconsin Bride magazine’s Best of 2014 issue.

“I wrote blog posts relating to weddings and events,” Evenson said. “I also helped set up for weddings and events.”

Evenson worked with her supervisors Andrea VandeBerg and Sarah Sarbacker, co-owners and designers at Cherry Blossom Events.

Evenson described her typical day on the job:

“My typical workday depended on if I wrote a blog or if I were to set up for a wedding,” Evenson said. “Writing blogs were simple, sometimes I used Pinterest for pictures and ideas. After I completed my blog, I sent it to one of my supervisors and they would approve it. After that, I submitted it to their blog. Finally, I would post it on their Facebook page.”

“When I worked weddings, I would arrive to the wedding destination,” Evenson said. “The weddings I worked at were barns, the overture center, golf courses and hotels. After arriving to the wedding spot, I’d be assigned different tasks to help set up. This would include table set-up and layouts, flower rearranging, and much more.”

Evenson explained that her favorite part of the internship was seeing the end result of each wedding. “You get so much satisfaction of seeing the entire room transform into someone’s dream day,” she said. “There really is nothing else like it.”

(Submitted photo)

Evenson also said the internship helped her improve skills in task management, writing and organization. “I have also learned how to pay more attention to details,” she said. “Details are everything when you are planning a wedding.”

(Submitted photo)

Coursework also played a role in Evenson’s internship experience.

“Though I didn't enjoy the class when I had it, I believe Communication 221 really helped me,” she said. “It helped me become a better writer, which is important when you write blogs.”

Her advice for students searching for internships: “Look for an internship in something that you are interested in.” 

“Becoming a wedding and event planner was just a thought in the beginning of my summer,” Evenson said. “Now, I know that this is something that I could do and I want to do.”

“My best advice is to network, and don't be afraid to ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more knowledgeable you become about your internship.”

    Additional links:

Check out Cherry Blossom Events on Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

[uwspprssa-blog]

Summer Internship Story: Lydia Jerabek

Lydia Jerabek spent her summer interning at not one, but two organizations. She worked with Acts 1:8 Ministry and the Multicultural Center of Greater Green Bay. Both internships were located in Green Bay, Wis. 

Photo caption: “I was blessed to have both of these amazing opportunities,” Jerabek said. “I have learned so much and grown as a PR professional!”

Acts 1:8 Ministry is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals and churches put together Planned Acts of Christian Kindness—P.A.C.K.—events in their neighborhood. The Multicultural Center is a resource for anyone who needs help with diversity issues including assistance ranging from finding a restaurant to legal counsel.

“At Acts 1:8 Ministry I researched social media platforms, integrated those efforts into marketing initiatives, created Facebook ads and Pinterest posts, and used social networks to strengthen relationships with existing and potential partners,” Jerabek said.

“For the Multicultural Center I ran and updated the website on Wordpress, helped design posters, promoted the Multicultural Children and Family Festival, edited the monthly newsletter, and oversaw basic functions of the center.”

Jerabek worked with the online marketing coordinator, social media coordinator, online ministry coordinators and another social media intern at Acts 1:8 Ministry. She worked with the lead volunteer and two social media interns at the Multicultural Center. 

Although her daily work duties varied, Jerabek said there were a few typical daily tasks at each organization.

“At Acts 1:8 I would create posts and ads, watch tutorials on marketing and social media, and get feedback from the team,” she said. “At the Multicultural Center I updated and added new information to the website, and I edited the other interns’ projects.”

Jerabek also explained her favorite aspects of both internships and what she learned on the job.

“At Acts 1:8 it was working with a funny and talented social media team,” she said. “They are all incredible people that are helping the organization change people’s lives. At the multicultural center my favorite part was when I was able to fix all the glitches with the website and really help promote the organization.” 

“At both internships I improved my written communication skills, social media skills and created original works,” Jerabek said. “I learned more about marketing using social media and Wordpress.”

Her advice for students searching for internships: “Never stop looking.”

“If you are going home for the summer and live near another college, ask friends about opportunities through their college’s career services,” she said. “I found both of my internships by using my friend’s UW-Green Bay website that is similar to UW-Stevens Point’s Career Point website.”

  Additional links:

Acts 1:8 Ministry on Facebook

Multicultural Center of Green Bay on Facebook

[uwspprssa-blog]

Summer Internship Story: Sam Umentum

“I would definitely do it all over again.”

(Submitted photo)

Sam Umentum spent his summer interning at the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wis. EAA is a nonprofit organization working to increase aviation awareness. The organization also holds the largest aviation celebration in the world—AirVenture.

“I was a public relations intern responsible for things ranging from radio ads, advertisement writing, print design, social media, event planning and much more,” Umentum said.

“I worked with a variety of people in the marketing department including marketing interns Darian Grosskreuz and Taylor Toivonen, marketing coordinators Dana Heimos, Amy Reese, Candice Lane, marketing associate Megan Schuessler, and marketing supervisor Kelli Karpinski,” he said. “I also worked with online communications expert Hal Bryan and the vice president of marketing Rick Larson.”

Umentum said that no day was ever the same during his internship. He really enjoyed working the grounds during the AirVenture event.

“I had the chance to meet a lot of great people, but the most rewarding experience was working on the tribute to our veterans project,” Umentum said. “We sent 132 Vietnam veterans to Washington D.C. for the day and organized a giant welcome home ceremony for them when they returned back to AirVenture. The event went great despite some minor setbacks, and although it was a long day—3:30 a.m. to about 10:30 p.m.—I would definitely do it all over again.”

(Submitted photo)

Umentum said he improved his business writing skills throughout the internship and learned a lot about planning large events. “My eyes were really opened up to the event planning world, and it is something I would love to do again.”

“I used skills I learned in just about every communication class I took from Communication 101 to Writing for Public Relations and even a little bit of Crisis Communication,” he said. 

Umentum’s advice for students looking for or beginning new internships: “Don’t be afraid to try new things!” 

He said he completed two internships in areas he had no previous experience in. “Both resulted in me learning a lot and growing as a professional,” Umentum said.

“Also don’t forget to save your work, and maintain contact with the people you worked with,” he said. “Grow your network, and never burn any bridges.” 

    Additional links:

Connect with EAA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

[uwspprssa-blog]

Summer Internship Story: Jenna Furger

Jenna Furger spent her summer as a marketing intern at Sentry Insurance in Stevens Point, Wis. Sentry is a mutual insurance company with individual and commercial policyholders throughout the nation. Headquartered in Stevens Point the company employs about 4,000 associates in 41 states.

Photo caption: A group photo of Sentry’s summer interns. (Submitted photo) 

“My job duties vary every day,” Furger said. “Some of the more standard daily jobs include answering emails for the corporate communication department, daily announcements on our intranet and reading daily news papers. In this job no two days are exactly the same.”  

“Some of the projects I have been working on include working on the brand team, which is currently taking Sentry Insurance through a complete re-branding process, and assisting in planning a company wide United Way two-week campaign,” she said.

Furger also worked with Sentry’s communication department’s creative team to create video promotions for upcoming events, developed a distracted driving initiative within the community, wrote news releases, assisted in current market analysis and web content writing for the company’s site, and worked on promotion for the @1800 and SentryWorld grand re-opening.

“I do a lot more than that, but that touches on the big components.” 

Furger worked with Sentry’s Vice President of Marketing Stephanie Smith, Senior Communication Specialist Zac Otzelberger and Communication Specialist Heather Maves.

She explained that there wasn’t a conventional workday at Sentry, and her job duties and projects varied each day.

“I have enjoyed being here every day,” Furger said. “The opportunities at Sentry are amazing, and I have worked with many great people.”

“One day people might find interesting is every time @1800 changes any of their menus a few of us got to go down to the restaurant and photograph, video tape, and even taste the new menu changes in order to write content about them for the website,” she said. “Those are some of my favorite days!”

Furger said she used skills learned from writing courses and Crisis Communication during her internship. 

“I have gained a lot of knowledge about corporate communication,” she said. “Living in the Stevens Point area it is difficult to find firsthand experience in that area, but having the world headquarters for Sentry in our backyard is a can’t-miss opportunity.”

“I have also gained experience in brand management, storyboarding, market research, creating proposals and presenting to top management, improved my writing skills, and overall learned about the insurance world.”

Photo caption: Furger takes part in a volunteer day during her internship. (Submitted photo)

Furger gave four pieces of advice for students looking for or beginning internships: “First, don’t be afraid to apply for your first internship. You may not get the first one you apply for, but eventually an opportunity will present itself.

“Second, use each day to get better. Sometimes you may do some of the same things, but take the time to talk to your boss about skills you want to improve or projects you want to work on.

“Third, sometimes having an internship is as much about learning what you don’t want to do. Each internship may not be your dream job, but you will learn the things you enjoy and things that you want to steer away from. Ultimately it will help you narrow down companies and positions you may be interested in in the future.

“Lastly, don’t forget to set goals! Knowing what you want to achieve or what you want out of each experience will help keep you on track. Set small goals to get to bigger ones. When you write your goal down it keeps you motivated and is a constant reminder.” 

[uwspprssa-blog]

Summer Internship Story: Lauren Gilchrist

“My favorite part of my internship was working for an organization whose mission I support. It was fulfilling knowing I was helping to make a difference in the lives of children and their families.”

Lauren Gilchrist spent her summer interning at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The foundation grants wishes for children who have life-threatening medical conditions. Gilchrist’s internship was with the Northeast Wisconsin chapter located in Appleton.

“My job was to help with the foundation’s four major fundraisers – Gourmet Wishes in Green Bay, Golf for Wishes in Appleton, the Sargento Make-A-Wish Golf Event in Fond du Lac, and Walk for Wishes in Appleton,” Gilchrist said. “Some of my duties included creating PowerPoint presentations that ran during the events, designing certificates, editing documents, making phone calls and assisting with general office duties.”

Photo caption: “This photo was taken at Gourmet Wishes,” Gilchrist said. “It was exciting to meet Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby, a big supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation!” (Submitted photo)

She worked with Regional Director Kris Teofilo, Regional Coordinator Amy Neumeyer and Wish Coordinator Kathy Plank. “I also got the chance to work with volunteers.”

Gilchrist said she spent most workdays in the office helping prepare for the fundraising events. “I made phone calls and did a lot of work with Excel, PowerPoint and Word.”    

“My favorite part of my internship was working for an organization whose mission I support,” Gilchrist said. “It was fulfilling knowing I was helping to make a difference in the lives of children and their families.”

Gilchrist said the experience helped improve her donation solicitation skills. “I got a lot of practice making over 180 phone calls to secure donations for the Sargento Make-A-Wish Golf Event silent auction.”

Gilchrist explained concepts from coursework she applied to her internship including the importance of creating mutually beneficial relationships and building goodwill. “These concepts are especially important for nonprofits,” she said. “During my internship I also saw the value of open communication with sponsors, potential donors, volunteers and individuals who helped plan the events.”

“Finally, my writing courses—both Communication and English courses—were very helpful. Being a strong, confident writer was helpful not only when I was asked to write, but also when I proofread someone else’s material.”     

Gilchrist’s advice for students beginning new internships: “Look for an internship with an organization you think you will enjoy working with and whose mission you support. Work hard and try to gain as much real-world experience as possible.”

     Additional links:

Connect with Make-A-Wish Foundation on social media