OSU students get work experience from summer internships
Friday, August 21, 2015
Several Oklahoma State University students were given the opportunity to intern with some of the nation’s largest companies.
With internships from national and international organizations including ESPN and PepsiCo Inc., students gained valuable experience that will boost their resumes and set them apart when applying for jobs.
Jordan Leatherman – NASCAR, Daytona Beach, Florida
After interning with NASCAR for the past two summers, Jordan Leatherman ended up with a full-time job with the sports company.
“I was looking up good sports companies to intern for, and NASCAR was the first one that popped up,” Leatherman said. “I’ve been a fan of NASCAR all my life, so I just had to apply. I applied in January (2014) and started interning in June (2014).”
The first summer, Leatherman worked in the multicultural marketing department. This year, she worked in the account-marketing department and was hired full-time in the department following the internship.
“Probably the most fun I had was during the orientation because we got to go see some of the speedways and meet some of the drivers,” she said. “It was cool that they took the time to let the interns get so up-close and personal with the raceways.
Leatherman is from Muskogee and graduated from OSU with a degree in strategic communication in May 2015. She plans to stay with NASCAR for a few years, eventually branching out to other sports companies or going to law school to become a sports agent.
Jenna Huling – PepsiCo Inc., Topeka, Kansas
After being reeled in by the employer’s friendly personalities, Jenna Huling, from Ada, landed an internship with PepsiCo Inc. after an on-campus interview as well as an on-site interview in Topeka.
“The availability of knowledge, opportunity and growth in this company was interesting,” Huling said. “There was never a dull moment this summer.”
Huling’s primary study focused on increasing shipping efficiency and minimizing any wasted time when closing trips off the dock. She also got to volunteer at several events that raised money for non-profit organizations during her internship, even dressing up as Chester the Cheetah for the Special Olympics this year.
“One concept that PepsiCo truly empowers is the importance of giving back and honestly investing yourself in the community that already invests themselves in your company,” she said. “It was well worth it.”
Huling is a chemical engineering major and is scheduled to graduate in May 2017. She looks forward to gaining experience in every area of engineering she can and is excited to see what is in store for the future.
Caleb Surly – ESPN, Bristol, Connecticut
He’s been dreaming about working for ESPN all his life, and this summer, Caleb Surly out of more than 20,000 applicants from around the world was chosen for an internship with the sports broadcasting entity.
“I was so pumped,” Surly said. “My favorite and most interesting part of the internship was assisting production and coverage of events including the NBA finals, NBA Draft, MLB Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Game.”
Some of the work Surly did involved producing content across multiple platforms for major brands. He also got to shadow professionals and explore other departments of interest, observing studio production and highlight screening.
“What made this internship one of the best experiences I will ever have was the people I had the privilege to meet and work with,” he said. “From day one, they took me under their wings, investing in me day-in and day-out. Because of them, I’m a better professional and better man than I was when I walked into rookie camp.”
Surly, from Rogers, Arkansas, is a senior studying sports media production with a minor in religious studies and will graduate in May 2016. His dream is to become an Emmy award-winning sports producer. He hopes to use this position to give back to students as others continue to do for him.
Brittney Lee – Heritage Theatre Festival, Charlottesville, Virgibia
A theatre major with a focus in scenic painting, construction and technical direction, Brittney Lee, from Ponca City, worked as a carpenter for the University of Virginia’s Heritage Theatre Festival.
Lee was contacted by a previous boss notifying her of an open position on his crew and asked her to apply.
“I was able to work in a new environment that has a different dynamic than what I’ve experienced before,” Lee said. “The theatre company produced productions in a larger magnitude than most colleges, so there were things that I wouldn’t have encountered in school.”
Lee is due to graduate in May 2016 and hopes to work as a carpenter or painter in theatre. Her position allowed her to be exposed to others who have worked in this field for several years.
Chelsie Holt – UFC, Las Vegas
Using the website teamworkonline.com, Chelsie Holt found an internship in the athletic development department of UFC.
“This department is, basically, in-house managers for the fighters. We schedule any type of appearance for them, help them with post-fighting career services and play a key role in the UFC’s Athlete Summit and International Fight Week.”
Initially, Holt wanted to work events within sports, but her internship helped her find a new passion: working directly with the athletes.
“The most interesting part was definitely International Fight Week,” she said. “I was able to build relationships with over 60 athletes and their managing firms. I was also in charge of coordinating all the on-ground transportation for over 50 events. It was a very hectic week but some of the most fun I’ve ever had.”
Holt, from Tulsa, will graduate this December with a degree in sports management. Her future plans include working in some form of an athletic relations role for a major sports organization.
Logan Kunka – Research Experience for Undergraduates Program, College Station, Texas
Logan Kunka, from Owasso, spent the summer in College Station, Texas, working in the Research Experience for Undergraduates Program at Texas A&M University. He was part of an aerospace REU, which focused on nanotechnology/material systems, hypersonic and plasma fluid dynamics.
“The end goal is to make hollow fibers,” Kunka said. “To achieve this, we used a method known as electro spinning, where we draw out the fiber from a solution of polymer and solvent using a high-potential difference after it has extruded from a capillary. This would be beneficial in energy storage, where this high surface area would allow greater energy density in batteries.”
Kunka presented his research at a TAMU Undergraduate Research Conference in early August. This experience allowed him to learn a lot about his aerospace engineering field as well as meet important people in the field. But he was sure to keep the orange alive.
“Even though I was surrounded by maroon, I still celebrated ‘Orange Friday’ religiously,” he said.
Madison Cunningham – The Broadway League, Sundance Productions and Backstage Magazine, New York
Madison Cunningham spent the summer in New York as a digital intern for the Broadway League, a creative research intern for Sundance Productions and a research intern for Backstage Magazine.
“There was so much.” Cunningham said. “I was able to see my first big graphic printed, film performers I’ve idolized as a kid, attend the Tony Awards’ dress rehearsal and work with a company I’ve dreamed about being with for years.”
Each internship required Cunningham to do something different. At the Broadway League, she worked with graphic design, social media management and video production. The conducted research for potential pilots and reviewing scripts at Sundance Productions, and at Backstage, she researched different film aspects in Georgia and Texas.
“I feel like I found my purpose after this summer,” she said. “I never knew that I would fall in love with TV and film the way I have, and I never knew that my burning passion for the theatre industry could grow hotter and brighter than it already was. For the first time since coming to college, I’m not afraid of the risks that come with chasing my dreams and pursuing a difficult career to ‘make it’ in.”
Cunningham, from Amarillo, Texas, will graduate in May and is double majoring in Multimedia Journalism, with a focus in video production, and Theatre, with a focus in performance. After she graduates, she can’t wait to move back to New York.
Michaela Patton – Seattle Children’s Research Institute
She started out by volunteering 12 hours a week at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute in the summer of 2014; then, she was offered a full-time position as a clinical research assistant for the summer of 2015.
Michaela Patton is a senior studying psychology and is due to graduate in December. After working at Seattle Children’s, she wants to apply to clinical psychology Ph. D. programs across the United States and Canada for the fall of 2016.
“My favorite part about the field of pediatric psychology is the culture,” Patton said. “There is a universal value centered around collaboration rather than competition. The ultimate goal is to help children cope with things that most children do not have to live with.”
As a clinical research assistant, Patton was responsible for managing participants in the Mind-Body Health Study, an online survey comparing post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology in youth and their parents.
“The most interesting part of my time at Seattle Children’s was the opportunity to be involved in every step of one specific study,” she said. “I was able to see what it looks like to come up with and run a study. It was exciting when we found the results we were looking for because it was an affirmation after months of hard work.”
Patton hopes to become a clinical psychologist, studying pediatric psychology, with specific research interests in pain, post-surgical outcomes, chronic illness, traumatic brain injury, family functioning and parent interventions.
“I hope to primarily focus on my research, supplementing clinical work and teaching at the college graduate level,” she said. “My time at Seattle Children’s was pivotal in helping me understand what it meant to be a pediatric psychologist. My experiences there only strengthened my passion for the field and reassured me that I am heading down the path I want.”
Jordan Nan – Luxury Garage Sale, Chicago
Jordan Nan, a senior apparel merchandising major from Dallas, remembered her second day working at the Luxury Garage Sale headquarters in Chicago. She is due to graduate in December.
“It was a real ‘Devil Wears Prada’ moment,” Nan said. “I didn’t know Chicago, and I didn’t have a car. My boss handed me the company credit card and a $12,000 necklace and told me it needed to be fixed. From there, a personal security driver named Bob pulled up in a black bulletproof Tahoe; it was such a James Bond moment, and I was scared to death.”
Luxury Garage Sale is a high-end consignment company that began in 2012, selling items exclusively on eBay. Now, the company handles online sales through its warehouse in Chicago and has two stores operating in Chicago and Dallas. Approximately 75 percent of the items it sells are new with the tags still on them.
“I like this store because it was the first one I came across that was not a retail store when looking for a job,” Nan said. “A majority of the people in my major go into retail, but I didn’t want to. I much preferred behind-the-scenes. It was also nice because I was only the third intern this company had.”
Some jobs Nan did at the company included collecting the inventory, naming it, pricing it and confirming its authenticity. She also got to meet with the stylist for the popular TV show Empire to get clothes for the show and got to style TV personality Kristin Cavallari for a banquet.
“After the banquet, [Cavallari] tagged the store in a post on Instagram,” Nan said. “That was a strong moment and one of the things I loved the most about this job. They let me have so much imput and freedom in what I did. Working here helped me confirm everything I wanted to do.”
Kiah Lowe – J.C. Penney Co., Plano, Texas
Also an apparel merchandising major, senior Kiah Lowe worked for J.C. Penney Co. headquarters in Plano, Texas. After completion of the internship, she was offered a full-time position, which she accepted on the spot.
Lowe spent time designing girl clothing for Arizona, J.C. Penney’s in-store clothing brand. She also monitored color sales, worked with marketing for advertisements and was a part of the Merchandise Action Team within the company.
“I got my hands in everything,” she said. “I loved it. Even on day three when I went to an office pep rally, I saw everyone get pumped up. There are 4,000 people in this office, and everyone is passionate and excited. I even got to meet the CEO; it was my third day, and I met the CEO.”
J.C. Penney gave Lowe a pain internship with housing, a personal laptop to use and allowed her to attend meetings and present in them.
“I was never treated like an intern,” she said. “Working for a big company like this, I was worried I would only be making coffee runs or filing documents. But instead, I had great relations with coworkers and my fellow interns.”
Lowe is from Moore, Oklahoma, and is due to graduate in May 2016. She will relocate to Plano to start working at J.C. Penney as a business analyst trainee, eventually working her way up to a senior buyer.
Matt Kazewski – Hotel de Lencois, Lencois, Brazil
Matt Kazewski spent the summer overseas at the Hotel de Lencois – a small, family-owned hotel in Lencois, Brazil. He lived in the hotel for two months and experienced every type of work in the hotel, all while enjoying a visit to another country.
“The first thing I had to do when I found out I was going there was learn Portuguese,” Kazewski said. “I used Rosetta Stone, so I spoke it fairly well, but there were times when I had to find either the owners or one of the two employees who spoke English for help.”
Kazewski said Lencois is a more poverty-stricken town in Brazil, but the Hotel de Lencois was the nicest hotel in town, at about three or four stars. He spent his time waiting tables for breakfast and lunch, working the front desk, sorting trash, spending time in the warehouse and helping with the finance aspect.
In addition to working at the hotel, Kazewski got the change to explore Brazil, visiting popular tourist destinations including the mountain ranges and Rio de Janeiro.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “The people here were so interesting. They value family in a way we don’t by having entire familes living together in large, two-story complexes. Everyone was also very friendly.”
Kazewski is a senior studying hotel and restaurant administration and is due to graduate in May 2016. After his internship, he is considering working overseas, something he did not want to do before his internship.
Story by Matt Cohlmia
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