I think it is perfect timing for a new “Internship Ideas” as I know many of you are looking for internships for this semester. Today we are profiling (and getting internship inspiration from) Communication Studies major Rachel Genise. Here we go…
COMS major Rachel, relaxing because she found an internship!
Q: Where do you intern and what do they do?
Rachel: “I’m interning for Andrew Freeman & Co., they do restaurant and hospitality consulting, marketing, and PR.”
Q: How did you find this internship?
Rachel: “I found this internship through a friend, Ishtar Schneider, who was originally going to intern for them but had to back out when an opportunity arose for her to take classes at Georgetown and intern in DC for the summer. She put me in touch with Sofia Clarke at AFCO, who I forwarded my cover letter and resume to. Shortly after, we had a phone and then an in-person interview and it was decided I would start right after the 4th of July.”
Q: Why did you choose to intern there?
Rachel: “I chose to intern here for several reasons. First, one of my first jobs was at a restaurant, Pasta Pomodoro. I was with them for over two years and really enjoyed being a part of the restaurant industry. While I’m not a great cook, I love to bake, and I like dining out, so working for a company inspired by great food and chefs seemed to be a perfect fit. Additionally, PR and/or marketing are fields I have been interested in but didn’t know much about, and had no experience in, so I though it would be best to get an internship and see if it’s a career I’d want to pursue.”
Q: What do you do on a regular basis at your internship?
Rachel: “At my internship, I work directly under a Senior Account Manager on the restaurant PR side, and I do a variety of things for her. Chef’s biographies, restaurant and event press releases, research, media outreach, media drops and other errands, contact list compilations, social media updates, and organizing re-launching events are among some of my tasks. I also will help any of the other interns or employees if need be.”
Q: What have you learned from this internship?
Rachel: “I have learned a lot of things from my internship, most of which directly apply to the industry I’m working in right now. I’m learning what it’s like to be in PR, how much the clients rely on their PR reps, the specific duties and amount of work that a PR rep is responsible for, how PR and marketing are related, how media and companies work together to be most influential, the importance of media outreach and media hits for a company or business; things like that. It’s been very eye-opening into the industry and I feel like I have a much better grasp on what it takes to be in public relations because of this hands-on experience.”
Q: What advice do you have for other students who are looking for an internship?
Rachel: “If other students are looking for internships, I highly recommend getting one in a field you think you’d like to work in. It has been so rewarding and valuable for me to actually see the day-to-day life of someone in PR, and know the inner workings of what that field is. Now, when I’m making career decisions come graduation, I will be able to better guide myself into a career, company, or field that I want to be a part of. I would also recommend interning for a company that will really give you hands-on experience, so that you’re fully exposed to all the responsibilities and details of what you’re working with. That’s the way to learn and gain the most you can from an internship.”
Thanks, Rachel, for sharing your experience! Rachel is continuing what is getting to be a tradition of interns from our department at Andrew Freeman & Company. She followed in the footsteps of alums Claire Bentley and Emma Gallagher! Special thanks to Andrew Freeman & Company for giving our USF Communication Studies majors hands-on internship experiences!
