Megan Shanley gained experience in marketing and event planning as an ambassador and sorority relations manager with Monster Up & Up.
How did you get your internship?
I got my internship with Monster Up & Up because I saw a post about it on their Instagram page. I had followed the account for a while, and saw that they were looking for ambassadors for the following semester. I applied online, and a couple of weeks later got a text from my now supervisor asking to schedule an interview call. We talked later that week for 45 minutes on the phone, and shortly after I received the news I had made the team.
Why did you choose this internship?
I chose this internship because I had heard good things about the brand and team from University of Arizona over the past few years. The Up & Up team is an awesome group of people who are passionate about electronic dance music (EDM) and sharing it with others, and that's the kind of group I wanted to be a part of.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
During this past semester on the Up & Up team, I worked with a group of other ambassadors to plan events. We collaborated in weekly meetings where we would brainstorm ideas, and review the details of the events. I promoted the brand's presale event on social media by creating and sharing posts. I also collaborated with sororities to promote the event through Greek life on campus.
What skills did you develop during your experience?
I was able to gain valuable experience in marketing and event planning. I also built my confidence in public speaking and pitching my ideas to a group. I also developed my time management skills because I had to focus on communicating with everyone and following up in a timely manner, all while managing everything else I had going on with school.
What was your favorite part of the internship?
My favorite part of this internship experience was meeting the people that I worked with. I have developed great connections and friendships with like-minded people on this team. I definitely plan to stay in touch with them. This was meaningful to me because my main career goal right now and in the future is to constantly be meeting and connecting with new people.
What did you find most challenging about your internship?
The most challenging part for me was managing my time. There were parts of this internship that were hour-intensive, which is typical of event planning, and I would be focusing all my time on what we were working on which left very little time for my school work. After struggling with this in the beginning, I learned to plan out my days and weeks more thoughtfully, as well as limit the time I put into projects or responsibilities that weren’t the current priority.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
My internship has made me think about having a future in the industry of music and event planning, which is something I hadn’t really thought of previously. I loved the people I worked with and would like to connect with others like them so I’m open to following opportunities in this industry.