- Graduation Year: May 2015
- Major: Advertising
- Hometown: Evanston, IL
- Hobbies: Ice hockey, watching the Blackhawks, Tough Mudder and anything outdoors!
Campus Activities
- The Kappa Sigma Fraternity
- Alpha Phi Omega – External Service Committee
- American Advertising Federation – OTH
Internship |Divvy |Marketing Coordinator
Duties?
Managed the Divvy corporate accounts program with high-end clients like Google, DRW Trading Group, Fox News, Morningstar and many others.
Helped design strategy for college campus partnerships and outreach.
Coordinated logistics for Divvy’s “Founding Members” campaign.
Established and maintained relationships with various Chicago businesses to secure donations for our month-long #DivvyRed campaign as well as for future partnerships.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
This is a really cliché answer, but I really enjoyed the people I worked with. Especially my boss, Elliot, and the president of the company, Eddie.
Elliot, was not just a boss, but also a mentor, teacher, and a friend. Elliot gave me the opportunity to work on many challenging projects. Under his leadership, I learned something new every day, from marketing methods to business etiquette. He trusted me to act independently and to get the job done. He is an exceptional boss and an outstanding mentor. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with him.
Eddie is the type of leader you want making the tough decisions at the head of your company. Despite the many tasks on his plate, he still found the time to connect with me and to recognize and appreciate my contributions to the company. He was also brutally honest and gave me a lot of constructive criticism, which I really liked. Eddie is the type of professional I aspire to be.
The people you work with can make all the difference in an internship experience and I was really lucky to have had such great bosses and an outstanding staff team.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
The most difficult aspect of my internship was juggling all of the responsibilities! There were only two people in the marketing department, my boss and myself. Because of this, and because the company was a start up (Launched May 28, 2013), there was always something that needed to be done. Often, I would work past my normal hours to get the work done. It’s a lot better to be busy than not so although it was difficult, I really enjoyed it.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
This internship was the first time I had major responsibilities for a company and I really matured professionally. I came in as the marketing intern and eventually became the marketing coordinator. I learned a lot from some great bosses and feel ready to take on even bigger things this summer. I’m still not quite sure what I want to do when I graduate, but this experience gave me the skills I need to succeed in future positions.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
For students looking to secure an internship, go by the rule of quality over quantity. Instead of applying to every internship you see that you qualify for, choose around 10 you really like and then put a lot of effort into these. Personalize your cover letter and resume for each internship and spend a lot of time on each one. Pretend like they are college essays.
I’ve found prior experiences are the best way to prepare for an internship. Each one is a stepping-stone to the next internship/job. Get as many experiences as you can, the more the better.
While at your internship, always ask questions and ask for more and more responsibility. I started off part-time and unpaid and I kept asking for more and more responsibility. I quickly became full-time and paid and eventually became the Marketing Coordinator handling various responsibilities. I can’t stress this enough. Ask for what you want (pay, more responsibility, a promotion, etc.) and you’ll most likely be pleasantly surprised!