Sarah Guinn conducted research and did outreach to plan events in collaboration with influencers and brands.
How did you get your internship and why did you choose this experience?
I started my process of searching for internships during winter break. I was applying to internships that matched my interests daily, and I was not having the best of luck. I was using a lot of different search platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Handshake. I ended up finding my Issued Magazine internship on Handshake, where I applied and connected with my future site supervisor to set up an interview. Before returning to Tucson for the Spring semester, I was asked to be a part of the Issued team for the Spring semester.
I chose this internship because it aligned with my emphasis area in Fashion Studies within my Applied Humanities degree, but I also knew I wanted an internship where I was able to work directly with people. With event planning, I was asked to communicate with several brands and famous influencers to potentially collaborate on events. I also knew I wanted a positive work environment, and since my remote team met weekly I got to know people from all different areas in the U.S. and build relationships with them.
I also chose my internship because of its remote setting. Because I was working a job as well as attending classes everyday, it was helpful for my time management for my internship to be remote during the spring semester.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
Throughout my internship I had the opportunity to work on a variety of tasks in addition to planning events. This internship really pushed my creative boundaries because I had to come up with event and content ideas that made our magazine stand out from others. I also was responsible for the “Issued Impact” initiative where we picked a non-profit organization to support and feature each month. I researched different organizations, wrote blurbs for our social media accounts about them, and informed our viewers how they can support them. My Event Planning internship primarily involved research and communication with brands and individuals to set up an event. Once we had the individual or brand in order to make our idea come to life, I managed our communication and researched event venues to find the best fit for each collaborator. I communicated with several venues and gained experience managing budgets and sponsorship kits.
What did you find challenging about your internship?
Although my internship was remote and fit with my class and work schedule at the time, my biggest challenge was the time zone difference. Since my internship was based in New York, the majority of my semester was only a two hour difference, but then it shifted to three hours. Because of this, zoom meeting times and deadlines came earlier for me. I had to be really disciplined with my sleep schedule and make sure I was transferring due dates in my calendar to my specific time zone. This challenge taught me a new level of organization because I was balancing school and work in my time zone in Tucson, but I had to transition my internship project due dates into my schedule from east coast time.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
I have been passionate about working with people since I selected my Public and Applied Humanities major, and this internship showed me great insight on what it was like to help a business grow and build connections with other businesses. This internship gave me a lot of skills that I wouldn’t acquire anywhere else, and has set me up for more internship opportunities.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for their internship?
The internship search can be very intimidating and a vital part of career growth in college. Internships now are very competitive, and that causes students to feel disappointed during their search. My advice would be to apply to anything that you think would give you skills for your dream opportunity in the future. Be open to unpaid internships if the experience is worth it, and make sure to pick one that aligns with your schedule based on your life. You may not get responses right away, and will be faced with rejection, but the more you put yourself out there the more likely you are to get an offer.