More than 450 students completed internships for credit in 2017-18.
Designing Women
Senior Barrett Batson studies strategic communication with an emphasis on public relations and a minor in journalism. She spent the summer in Austin, Texas, as the public relations intern for designer and CEO Kendra Scott.
Out of all the PR internships to choose from, why Kendra Scott?
I knew I’d be working for a company created by one of the leading self-made female entrepreneurs in the U.S., and I wanted to put everything I’ve been learning in school to the test in a corporate public relations environment.
What is a typical workday like?
After preparing for meetings and checking in with my boss, I might draft quotes for a press release, create briefs for Kendra, build and update media lists and databases, coordinate or attend events, work with social media influencers or answer interview questions for various news outlets.
What makes your experience at Kendra Scott unique?
All 27 interns from different departments are working together over 10 weeks to launch a loyalty program. I’m drafting a press release, writing pitch emails to news outlets and helping with the marketing strategy. On the last day of the program, we’ll present the project to the whole company, including Kendra.
Has the experience affected your career goals?
After college, my goal is to secure a job with a major PR agency. This internship reinforced that goal and made me feel more prepared to go through the hiring process. Now, I’ll feel confident going into interviews. I’ll have work samples for my professional portfolio with detailed accomplishments in developing communication strategies.
The Next Big Thing
Lina Takahashi is a senior studying broadcast journalism with minors in Japanese and technology, arts and media. Over the summer, she was a news intern at 9News in Denver for Next with Kyle Clark.
How do you spend an average workday?
I write multiple web stories for Next with Kyle Clark every day and help the web producer with the show’s social media platforms. I enjoy shadowing the producers and seeing how all of the shows come together in the newsroom, as well as in the control studio.
What have you learned about working in a newsroom?
The most surprising experience has been being in the newsroom during breaking news. It’s chaotic, but each person plays a crucial role in making sure that important information is reported as quickly and accurately as possible. The air changes and it is the most exciting place to be.
What do you want to do Next?
I grew up watching 9News, and this internship confirmed that I’m a news fanatic. As a short-term goal, I want to be a reporter for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The reporters and anchors I’ve met at 9News are all so passionate about what they do. Every day is different, depending on the stories they cover, the places they go and the people they meet. I want that to be true for my career.
Data Days
Senior Benjamin Ward is an information science major with a minor in business. He interned in the Longmont office of Xilinx, a San Jose, California, technology company that supplies programmable logic devices.
What stood out about Xilinx?
This internship had a specific project outlined and emphasized an interest in someone who loves challenges and problem solving. I really identified with Xilinx’s goals and the kind of person they were seeking.
What surprised you about this internship?
I never would have guessed that I’d be collaborating with engineers every day and learning so much about their field. I’m glad I haven’t been pigeonholed in data analysis and have been trusted to work on other projects.
Has the experience shaped your plans for the future?
It’s validated the excitement I get when working on data-based projects. I’ve gotten a lot of great exposure to what the day-to-day life of a data analyst is like. My long-term goal is to work with data for political or health care organizations.