- Graduation Year: May 2015
- Major: Advertising
- Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
- Hobbies: Fantasy Football, Music, Following Chicago Sports (Blackhawks, Bears, Bulls)
Internship |InStadium |Intern
Duties?
At InStadium, I was responsible for overseeing the impact and effectiveness of their live sports network (in terms of game attendance, impressions, fans’ mobile activity, etc.) as well as analyzing their clients return on investment in the network itself. Additionally, my work extended into the development of a comprehensive social media plan seeking to improve fan engagement at live sporting events (hence the company name).
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
Overall, the general atmosphere at InStadium is second to none. A smaller work environment with individuals who had similar interests afforded me a greater opportunity to learn comfortably at my own pace (roughly twenty other employees). Everyone employed there is a friend outside of work, and it definitely rubs off on the culture there. In addition, sports are my passion, and the sports focus that defined the internship not only elevated my efforts in certain tasks but also solidified my intent to pursue a career in sports media/marketing/advertising. Plus, it wasn’t too bad riding into work with the Chicago skyline in the background.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
At times, the internship could seem overwhelming in terms of fully understanding various metrics of the fast-paced sports media business, long-term objectives of the organization, and some of the tools used to evaluate results. InStadium is multi-dimensional in that many components of their services are in-motion simultaneously. However, this meant that I learned a whole lot more and was able to contribute in more ways than expected.
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
The University of Illinois helped me make connections with other College of Media alumni and really own the entire career process. There are lots of opportunities out there for driven students, and Illinois made these opportunities seem more attainable with some of their services. Furthermore, courses in the College of Media made the transition outside of the classroom easier to handle. Maybe most importantly, the College of Media prepared me to embrace challenges by thinking creatively to find solutions.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
The internship was valuable in that it changed my perspective on what makes people tick (from a consumer standpoint) and also exposed me to media concepts not always discussed in a classroom setting. Sometimes we tend to approach advertising traditionally and can even expect all consumers to respond similarly to certain content. However this internship proved that maximizing the impact of advertising often correlates with the mindset consumers are in and suggests unconventional thinking.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
First, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Next, still approach an internship like it is a full-time, real-life job even though it may only be part-time. Like many other things, you get out of an internship what you put in, but who knows what solid performance can lead to? Lastly, as mentioned before, never hesitate in reaching out to Illinois alumni. They are all over Chicago, and from my experience want to. College of Media students are highly respected not only by them but also to other professionals in our industry.