This is the next in a series of posts by recipients of the Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they’ve been spending their summer. You can read the entire series here.
This entry is by Kelsey Serraneu, COL ’19
At Penn you are taught the importance of internships. How internships can set the foundation of your career and boost your success. However, finding an internship that pays enough to support oneself over the summer is difficult. Leading up to my summer, I found an amazing internship in the media industry. It was a paid 10-week internship program at Publicis Groupe working at their advertising agency, Blue 449. Publicis Groupe is one of the top three media companies in the world, and working with one of their agencies would allow me access to some of the most influential people in that industry and give me an exhaustive learning experience. The one con to this internship, was the salary; it wasn’t high enough to provide a sustainable life in New York. Thankfully, I received a Penn Grant from Career Services, so I could embark on this internship.
During my time at Blue 449, I met with the CEO, president, and managing directors. I also worked with a cooperative, intelligent strategy and planning team that introduced me to our client and helped me integrate with the team. With their exposure and help, I learned how to create competitive reviews, rollups, designated market area maps, and point of views. I was fully welcomed at Blue 449 and with their help, I grew to understand the agency side of marketing. They taught me skills that sharpened my analytical techniques and gave me skills that can be applied to various fields and industries.
All of this, wouldn’t have been possible without the Career Services’ Grant. In New York especially, costs are high; thanks to their grant I was able to pay for my transportation costs, groceries, and utility bills. With their help, my stress over money was lessened and I was able to focus on my internship. Career Services helped shaped my career and gave me a experience that I will use wherever I go in my profession; they made my Summer 2017 a memorable one.
