Internships

When experience meets networking: Internship highlights from CMCI

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:39:43 +0000

When experience meets networking: Internship highlights from CMCI Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 01/29/2024 - 15:39

By Hannah Stewart (Comm’19)
Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18)

When Pepsi eventually comes out with its snack-focused campaign, one strategic communication student from the ��«��Ƶ will smile knowing he was part of it.

Enzo Ewari, a senior in the College of Media Communication and Information, has been interning with Motive—a full-service marketing and advertising agency—since the summer. As part of his work, he assisted with campaigns for brands like Gatorade, Cheetos, Pepsi and more.

Motive was impressed enough with his work to extend his internship into the fall semester, and Ewari hopes to stay at the company after graduation.

“As I get more involved, I’ll be working on my own campaigns, so hopefully by springtime, I’ll be solely working on one campaign,” he said. “I love Motive, it’s a great culture. They have sister agencies on every continent; I’ve been talking about moving to New York or Singapore. There are a lot of opportunities.”

In high school, Ewari took a business class, and was instantly hooked by the fast-paced energy and possibilities it provided. However, he wanted something more creative, which led him to study advertising. In fact, one of his professors reached out with the opportunity to intern with his own advertising and marketing boutique and assist on a campaign for a whiskey company—just one of his internship experiences, which have included work for PHD Media, Special Olympics International and Volkswagen.

“CMCI is your friend. Just talk to your professors, most of them are still doing work. That helped me get this internship.
—Enzo Ewari

When it came to Motive, not only did Ewari’s foundational courses prove incredibly helpful on his internship, various hands-on experiences both in and out of the classroom helped him grow and develop skills, as well.

“Enzo has proven to a valuable member of our team because he's resourceful, a self-starter, a quick learner, and also a curious human,” said Andrew Lynch, vice president of strategy at Motive and Ewari’s supervisor. “He's doing real, meaningful work that is helping us arrive at smart and sharp strategies.”

That practical experience and networking opportunity was pivotal, as it helped boost Ewari’s confidence in the field by giving him a taste of real-life advertising.

“CMCI is your friend. Just talk to your professors, most of them are still doing work,” he said. “That helped me get this internship.”

Networking and access to the right people proved useful once again in landing his role at Motive. David Martinez, inclusive excellence and outreach coordinator at CMCI, connected Ewari with one of Motive’s senior vice presidents of creative, Spencer Trierweiler (Advert’06), who is based out of the company’s Denver office.

“He helped push me through the process,” Ewari said. “A lot of my team is spread out across the United States. Day to day, it was a lot of looking at trends of different industries and deciding what competitors are doing to find a pocket in the market that our clients can hold.”

During his hybrid internship, he has been responsible for market research, taking what he’s learned and creating presentations exploring different advertising strategies a brand could take. Depending on who attended the presentation, Ewari and his team emphasize strategic or creative elements of a given campaign. For example, some creative-focused campaign proposals had interactive elements like pop-up shops or meet-and-greets with professional athletes.

“It’s all about connecting the data—how can you find that new lightbulb idea?” he said.

Lynch said an ability to find those ideas made Ewari such a valuable addition, especially when it came to brand positioning statements in competitive analyses.

"Enzo has been leading these analyses throughout his internship, and always delivers focused and smart category insights that we work into our strategy decks," Lynch said.

Senior strategic communication major Enzo Ewari has big ideas for the future. Now that he has an internship with Motive under his belt, he’s more confident in the advertising field and his place in it.

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The (doll)face of a tech giant

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 21:28:16 +0000

The (doll)face of a tech giant Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/27/2023 - 15:28

By Hannah Stewart (Comm’19)

Duolingo has its owl, Geico has its gecko and Pillsbury has its doughboy. Now, thanks to a fourth-year student from the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design, tech giant Hewlett Packard has its own mascot: Lucy.

“Being a CMCI student has been helpful because I have a creative, but also a business, background.
—Megan Solis

Megan Solis, who is studying advertising and plans to graduate in winter 2023, crocheted the doll mascot as part of her internship at HP. This past spring, Lucy went out into the world via TikTok; Solis’ creativity, meanwhile, ultimately led to her recognition with the company’s InternStellar Award last summer.

“Demand generation is the focus of showing products in use,” Solis said. “But why not do it all? I had a lofty goal to create demand generation, while also increasing viewer engagement and enlarging overall brand awareness.”

Solis didn’t set out to be a master marketer. She initially wanted a career in public relations, and transferred from the University of Texas San Antonio to CMCI to pursue that field. In fact, she discovered her love of advertising through her internship with HP.

“I was on my web browser and was about to type ‘PR internships,’ and then I thought, ‘Why don’t I just look up the best people to work for?’” Solis said.

It was this confidence and self-starter attitude that helped Solis through the rigorous interview process, and eventually her internship.

“She wowed our organization,” said Danielle Jones, Solis’ supervisor. “She’s super creative with regard to how we can develop content.”

Jones is the North America marketing manager for HP, and as a member of that team, Solis was tasked with finding a way to engage with the company’s target audience—which slants Generation Z—and show the products in fun, relatable situations. After considering how other brands leverage social media, Solis had her eureka moment: She’d create a mascot.

Impactful Internships

The interdisciplinary curricula of CMCI majors gives students a broad set of skills—including creativity, critical thinking and collaboration—that makes them suited for success as interns and young professionals.

By hiring our students as interns, employers can benefit from bringing fresh perspectives and insights to problems, while having a significant impact on a student’s professional development.

Learn more about hiring our students or participating in a career and internship fair →

Lucy, named for co-founder David Packard’s wife, is a small doll who wears an HP-logoed shirt. She was an instant hit with the HP team.

“It’s a great idea, and we’re excited for Megan to complete this project from beginning to end,” Jones said.

Feeling validated by the positive feedback, and with her HP experience winding down, Solis applied to the InternStellar Award, presented to interns who create measurable and meaningful impact. More than 200 interns applied for this highly competitive distinction.

Winning the award “was an honor,” Solis said. “There was a ceremony where I was able to meet executives and share my accomplishments. It excited me to speak about not only what I have done, but also my plans to carry ideas forward.”

In fact, HP extended Solis’ internship so she could see the project to completion and develop more innovative ideas.

After nearly nine months, HP launched a series of targeted ads featuring the doll in April; during the campaign, at least 10.7 million people saw the TikTok ads. While Solis said it was sometimes stressful to balance her part-time position and her full-time course load, she found it exciting to see parallels between her advertising classes and the work she did to make the Lucy campaign come to life.

“I can relate all my classes directly to what I’m doing in my job,” Solis said. “Being a CMCI student has been helpful because I have a creative, but also a business, background.”

APRD student Megan Solis landed an internship with tech company HP, created a mascot and won their prestigious InternStellar Award. Her mascot, Lucy, had a TikTok test campaign in April 2023.

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CMCI goes to Washington

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:21:11 +0000

CMCI goes to Washington Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/22/2023 - 13:21

By Hannah Stewart (Comm’19)

It’s an early Wednesday morning in July, yet it seems most of Washington, D.C., has already been up for hours.

Riders swarm the Metro on their way to work. Above ground, everyone from power brokers to power couples crowd local coffee shops while runners squeeze in a jog.

Amid the bustle, four students from CU ��«��Ƶ are headed to their internships, where they are responsible for public relations at The Hill, covering news in real time and managing sound at a multimedia festival.

“This is such a great program because you get professional experience,” said Reede Ottenstein (CritMedia’23). “You’ll feel so much better when you graduate, and you’ll have a better idea of what you want to do.”

Through the support of CMCI in D.C.—a semester-long study abroad-style program in Washington—Ottenstein landed an internship with Capital Fringe. This multiday, multimedia festival was particularly enticing since she focused on sound design as a CMCI student. She even had the chance to work with the audio engineers for the performances.

“In my classes, I was learning sound and audio,” Ottenstein said. “Now that I’ve interned with this festival, I will get to take what I learned and put it in a real-world context.”

Students in this program earn both class and internship credit during a semester or summer session in Washington. In addition to learning from guest speakers—many of whom are program alumni and media professionals—students have the chance to explore the city, both on assignment and for personal enrichment. Along the way, they discover new passions and opportunities for growth while forming close bonds as peers.

“Washington, D.C., is an incredible place to spend a semester,” said Lori Bergen, CMCI founding dean. “The communications, media and information landscape is a laboratory for new ideas about how to inform, influence and inspire people.”

CMCI students on their D.C. experiences

"The Hill has been very eye-opening and has shown me what the real world of PR looks like. Connecting with people is something that really holds true to me.

Michael Bass
Intern, The Hill

“You get to experience a new American city and learn from great professors.

Jenna Gainsboro
Intern, D.C. Witness

CMCI’s partner in delivering the program, the Washington Media Institute, encourages students to develop new skills through practical learning in the field.

For instance, media studies junior Jenna Gainsboro tried her hand at court reporting. An illness in Gainsboro’s youth led to seemingly endless days reading and watching television, inspiring her to pursue a career  in media. She spent a previous semester writing for a fashion magazine, but with this new opportunity, she wanted something different.

“They pitched me this internship with D.C. Witness in a social justice kind of way,” Gainsboro said. “I appreciate how individualized it is. They really work with you to find  an internship that will give you the experience you need.”

“The fact that internships are hand-selected for our students gives them an advantage in getting settled in this exciting city and building professional and personal relationships that will last a lifetime.
—Dean Lori Bergen

That feature helps the program stand out among other experiential-learning opportunities.

As part of the application process, staff from WMI interview students to assess their career goals, then identify ideal internships for each student. WMI staff also use their Washington networks to bring in guest lecturers and instructors for classes.

“I know that every time I come to class, we’re going to be doing something that might be challenging in the moment, but is still helpful and a good experience for my growth,” said senior Tessa Stigler, a journalism student who interned at Voice of America.

After graduation, she hopes to be a multimedia journalist. Although she’s had an “overwhelmingly positive experience” in her classes in ��«��Ƶ, she said this program has helped her see new aspects of the media.

“It’s interesting to see how different everybody’s internships are, and the different skills they’re focusing on,” Stigler said. “CMCI in D.C. encourages you to get career minded, feel set up to graduate and know that you can get something afterward.”

CMCI in D.C. is open to all CMCI majors and minors.

This unique, immersive experience allows students to develop skills directly related to their career aspirations, and includes a customized internship tailored to each participant’s career aspirations. Students may apply to be part of the program in any semester.

Learn more and apply

CMCI in D.C. is helping students discover new passions and grow—personally and professionally—as they prepare for careers in media.

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Student IHOPs to dream internship

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 18:52:36 +0000

Student IHOPs to dream internship Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/28/2023 - 12:52

By Hannah Stewart (Comm’19)

Matthew Mendoza, like many first-year college students, didn’t know exactly what he wanted to study at university. But after an introductory advertising course, he declared a major in strategic communication, which led him to an internship at a top advertising company.

This past summer, Mendoza spent 10 weeks as a digital media resident in account management for UM Worldwide, a global media and advertising giant. Most of his position was remote, but he also spent time in the company’s Manhattan office, which allowed him to both network and get the sense of a possible future at a big firm.

Now he is set to graduate in spring 2023 with a degree in strategic communication focusing on advertising strategy. After being exposed to real-world marketing and advertising, Mendoza says his future feels more in focus: After graduation, he hopes to work in a large agency, ideally, in New York City.

“Working in a large setting like that, it tends to be a little bit harsh,” Mendoza said. “I want to be pushed above my comfort zone.”

“I love how the [CMCI] curriculum is structured. I got to take my knowledge and background and actually see it and do it . . . and I took a part of CU [to New York].
- Matthew Mendoza

As a first-year student, Mendoza went into college with an open mind, planning to take as many classes as possible to try and find the right fit. His first semester, he took an introductory class in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design. By the next semester, he transferred out of an open option program within the College of Arts and Sciences and into CMCI.

“I identified with being able to be creative in a professional environment,” he said. “I also like the idea of maintaining and building relationships and thinking of things like strategy and copy.”

Mendoza said that he liked the feeling of knowing his peers and his professors; and that the support from his professors and advisors was extremely helpful and valuable.

“I like the idea of being in a smaller college with a smaller major. . . . You’re able to be creative through media production, through strategy, whatever it may be,” he said.

In his advertising classes, Mendoza learned how UM Worldwide “shaped the advertising industry.” So when it came time to search for internships, he immediately honed in on one with the company. He reached out to some of his ARPD professors, who helped guide him throughout the interview process.

Then during summer 2022, Mendoza worked both remotely and in New York City for UM Worldwide as a digital media resident.

“What I loved so much about it was the culture,” Mendoza said. “Support was offered to me the whole time and they truly cared about teaching me.”

In one major project, he created slide decks analyzing performance statistics for the New York Lottery. His data analysis—of sales, clicks and views—were sent to lottery representatives to evaluate the success of their marketing campaigns from that year.

UM also had Mendoza and the other program participants compete in teams to create a hypothetical pitch for IHOP. His team came up with an interactive campaign called #TheIHOPExperience to appeal to college students. This theoretical plan included food trucks and merchandise giveaways, and some marketing mockups were shared with IHOP’s communication team.

Mendoza felt as though he had a leg up compared to some of his other colleagues—he had already learned about writing briefs and using various research methods in his APRD classes. Those introductory courses initially give students a wide overview of strategic communication and marketing, and with time, become more niche, according to students’ preferred areas of study.

“I love how the [CMCI] curriculum is structured,” Mendoza said. “I got to take my knowledge and background and actually see it and do it . . . and I took a part of CU [to New York].”

When Matthew Mendoza enrolled at CU ��«��Ƶ, he didn’t expect to work alongside marketing giants. This past summer, he worked with UM Worldwide on numerous projects, including one for IHOP.

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View From the Capitol

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 20:34:12 +0000

View From the Capitol Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/22/2022 - 14:34

By Lauren Irwin (Jour’22)

For Max Gannett (InfoSci’22), doing research to help create legislation makes him feel like a kid in a candy shop.

Before starting his first year as an information science master’s student at CU ��«��Ƶ, Gannett spent the summer in Washington, D.C. There, he worked as an intern with Rep. Joe Neguse (PolSci, Econ’05; Law’09) and Sen. John Hickenlooper, who represent Colorado on the federal stage.

Every day, Gannett worked across the street from the U.S. Capitol. He assisted in research that affected national policy. Just weeks after graduating, Gannett felt like he was putting his bachelor’s degree in information science to good use.

“My long-term career goal is one where I can make a more healthy democracy,” said Gannett, who is part of the CMCI Information Science Bachelor’s-Accelerated Master’s Program. “Any way I can make policy, government and the information ecosystem better, that is where my heart and future lie.”

As an intern, Gannett explored downtown Washington and joined events alongside notable figures, like Sen. Mitt Romney, Sen. Joe Manchin and Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase. He was able to sit in on U.S. House and Senate committee hearings on public lands, assault weapons bans and other topics.

Much of Gannett’s daily work centered around organizing constituent comments, working on policy-related memos and presentations, and doing research on topics like disinformation, voting and judicial issues.

Photos courtesy of Max Gannett.

One favorite aspect of the internship: helping to outline goals and legislation related to science, technology, cybersecurity and privacy for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, he said.

Gannett credits his undergraduate courses and activities with preparing him to conduct research and think critically, both vital skills for the internship.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree, Gannett earned a political science minor and quickly discovered a passion for governmental affairs during his first internship with Neguse in 2020.

He took on leadership positions, becoming president of the CMCI Student Government and helping to lead the CU Student Ambassador Program through the COVID-19 crisis.

And throughout his time as a CU undergraduate student, Gannett found opportunities to connect his coursework to the real world. After working as a data science intern for CMCI, Gannett became a research assistant with information science Professor Leysia Palen and studied the impact of disinformation in our current landscape. In 2020, he created data visualizations as a data intern for the House Majority Project.

“One of the most amazing things is applying my knowledge of technology and human interaction from the classroom to legislation and policy,” he said.

For Gannett, his internship was an inspiration. It allowed him to see all sides of Congress, and thus, to better understand how to institute change and build a more resilient democracy, he said.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to be at the heart of the nation’s capitol where history has been made, and it’s being made while I’m here,” Gannett said. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to participate in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate . . . and work in two offices that uphold what it means to be leaders for the state of Colorado.”

Information science student Max Gannett spent the summer working as an intern in Washington, D.C., with Rep. Joe Neguse and Sen. John Hickenlooper. With research and data skills at the ready, Gannett dove into national policy and can’t wait for more.

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Red RovR, Red RovR...Send the Plan Book Over

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 20:05:29 +0000

Red RovR, Red RovR...Send the Plan Book Over Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/22/2020 - 14:05

What’s cooler than getting a good grade on an assignment? For Nicole Cattin (StratComm’20), it was a paid internship her senior year and the opportunity to see her work featured in stores.

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Raising the Roof

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 20:04:02 +0000

Raising the Roof Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/22/2020 - 14:04

When he and his co-founders launched ��«��Ƶ Media House, Jeremy Elder (CritMedia’20) was still a full-time student. Today, the young crew of CU graduates behind the boutique production company has created content for businesses from luxury expedition vehicles to high-end fashion, and they continue to elevate their game.

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On the job: Fall 2018

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 20:51:58 +0000

On the job: Fall 2018 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/09/2018 - 13:51

Students discuss their summer internships doing public relations for designer Kendra Scott; producing Denver’s top 6 p.m. newscast, Next with Kyle Clark, at 9News; and digging through data at the technology company Xilinx.

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On the record: Advertising student Erin Baptiste interns with local music label

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 21:13:54 +0000

On the record: Advertising student Erin Baptiste interns with local music label Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/21/2018 - 15:13

Junior Erin Baptiste has an eclectic group of interests: media, design, history and music.

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Baptiste is the type of person who looks both backward and forward. As a dual major in Strategic Communication (in the Media Design track) and History, she informs her ideas for the future with lessons of the past. Outside of class, she embraces her love of music as a member of CU ��«��Ƶ's all-female a cappella group, On the Rocks.

This spring, Baptiste began an internship with the ��«��Ƶ-based record label and recording studio United Interests—a place remarkably well-suited to combine her passions for media, history and the arts. The opportunity came about after she met representatives of the company at CMCI’s fall career fair.

For Baptiste, an average day at her internship might include posting to social media, searching the web for mentions of the label’s artists, helping with web design and managing the office space. She also has opportunities to learn from and assist with other departments at the studio. For example, she uses her experience in graphic design to help create logos and design official band merchandise.

“It’s really taught me the ins and outs and the ups and downs of small business and the people you really need to rely on,” she says.

The label represents several local indie bands, including The Lil Smokies—a progressive bluegrass band originally from Montana—and Elephant Revival—a folk group that formed in Nederland, Colorado, just west of CU ��«��Ƶ's campus. Each week, when she heads to her internship, Baptiste trades in the desks and whiteboards of her classrooms to work amid Fender amplifiers, an array of hanging guitars, and large posters for bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience. One of the best aspects of the internship is the ability to attend concerts for the artists, she says, including shows at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, as well as ��«��Ƶ venues like the Fox Theatre.

“I think this internship showed me that there is a place for me in the music industry,” she says.

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Interning with an industry giant

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 18:57:10 +0000

Interning with an industry giant Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/12/2017 - 12:57

Few companies can boast the type of instant brand recognition that Nike has achieved. Throughout the decades, the sports apparel and equipment giant has produced some of the most iconic advertisements worldwide.

None of that intimidates Morgan Reno, a strategic communication major and senior, who is an intern at Nike this summer

“It’s cool to work for a company that is so big in the advertising industry and there’s so many possibilities and connections I can make," says Reno, whose concentration is in advertising. “I’m definitely very excited.”

As a global integrated media intern, Reno works with Nike’s media team as part of the larger advertising department. Her main duty is to create keynote decks: slideshow presentations that inform employees about all the specifics of upcoming products and projects.

The position also integrates social media strategies. For one keynote deck, Reno created a presentation detailing the best strategies for posting on different social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.

Like all things Nike, the internship embraces the thrill of competition. At the end of the summer, Reno will compete in the “Intern Combine Project,” a challenge for all interns to create the best possible brief, with the top three earning a chance to present their ideas to Nike executives.

Another major aspect of interning for the company is community, and interns are encouraged to meet new people around the campus and attend events, Reno says. "They really emphasize meeting a bunch of different people, including the major people on campus like the execs."

I’ll feel more prepared to find something I’m passionate about."

While the Nike environment is new to Reno, she has good reason to feel at home this summer. Originally from Lake Oswego, Oregon, Reno grew up less than 10 miles from Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Both towns are suburbs of the Portland metro area.

To earn the competitive internship, Reno navigated several rounds of interviews, all while studying abroad in Florence, Italy.

After graduation, she plans to use her experience at Nike and her degree from CMCI to pursue a career as an account manager, preferably for a large company like Nike.

“I think I’ll feel more prepared for what I want to do and what I don’t really like," she says. "I’ll feel more prepared to find something I’m passionate about.”

With the title of global integrated media intern, senior Morgan Reno works with Nike’s media team as part of the larger advertising department.

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