Where will your internship take you?

Internships are one of the most important and invaluable experiences you could have as a college student. They give you a glimpse into what working in the real world is like. In my opinion, the more internships you have, the better off you’ll be. It’ll make you so much more marketable when it comes time to looking for a full-time job after college. Having an internship sets you up for great success. If you want to get the most out of college, take on opportunities that come along the way, and learn as much as you can, then you will make time to work as an intern, whether that is during the summer or the semester.

During the spring and summer of my junior year of college I worked as a sport management intern for the Philadelphia Phoenix. The Phoenix are a professional Ultimate Frisbee team based in Philadelphia and compete in the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA). During my time with the Phoenix I participated in weekly meetings, attended and worked promotion events, assisted client and ticket services, helped with game day responsibilities at home and away stadiums, ensured customer data and information, aided in ticket sales and merchandise sales, assisted in creating content for the team’s social media page, and much more. I had such a blast working for the Phoenix and am so glad I had such a positive first internship experience.

I was presented with the opportunity to travel with the team to their away games, including internationally. I traveled with the team to their double header in Canada, which was my first time out of the country! The Phoenix played Toronto on the first day and then traveled to Ottawa to play Montreal on the second day. Both games yielded victories, and the Phoenix returned to Philadelphia triumphantly! I was able to expand my technology skills and create content for the team. I even made a commercial spotlighting the interns, who included Mo’ne Davis, famous former Little League World Series pitcher. In the team’s fourth annual live NBC Sports Commonwealth Cup game against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds, we won! That was also my first time making it on television, even if it was only for a glimpse!

Over this past summer, I was a ticket sales intern for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. They are a professional ice hockey team that competes in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home rink is the PPL Center in Lehigh Valley, PA. I really wanted to work for the Phantoms, especially after going to my first game on New Year’s Eve with my family. That was such a fun and memorable night. I was the first and only ticket sales Intern they have had, and I hope they continue with the internship program because it really opened my eyes and showed me what it’s actually like working on the business side of sports in the off-season.

My commute was over three hours round-trip, and I was working regular contract hours like the other sales representatives in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If I’m being honest, these were some of the longest days of my life. It was a lot having an internship, working another job, and taking multiple summer classes. Most 21-year-old college girls’ summers do not look like mine, but to me it’s worth it because I know that the sacrifices I make now will pay off in the long run.

As a ticket sales intern, my day-to-day life on the job looked very similar. I made over 40 outbound sales calls per day, conducted research on local businesses, and participated in weekly meetings across different departments. Two things I value most are consistency and structure, and this job gave me that. On my first day, I was already doing role plays ... and before I knew it ... I was on the phone talking to single game buyers. Every time I picked up the phone, I felt a mix of emotions between nervousness and excitement because I did not know what the other person was going to say or how they were going to respond to me. I always made sure I was prepared with the proper materials and information and was armed with my critical thinking skills. Some calls went better than others, but over the course of two weeks I gained 22 new leads. 

My boss was ready to hire me after he saw that.

Connections mean everything in the workforce. If you prioritize networking and make strong connections, securing a job will be much easier than applying for a job and being one of thousands of applicants. I got both of my internships through connections, and I’m very fortunate to have great people in my life who are supportive, uplifting, and encouraging. Both internship experiences were very different from each other, but that made them all the greater.

It's important to diversify your experience, so you find out what you like and dislike about the job before going into the real world and trying it out for the very first time. Some companies will even hire you as a full-time employee after graduation if you do a really good job and they feel that you are a good fit for the company. It’s like an audition in a way.

How great would that be to have an internship that turns into a full-time job? You just never know where it could lead you, so make the most of every internship opportunity.

— Lillie Corino, a senior business administration and communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis in management and organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications this fall. She's a native of Bucks County who enjoys spending time with her family, pets, ESA, watching Friends, seeing Morgan Wallen in concert, playing lacrosse, and going shopping with her mom.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife