The WD Intern

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As college students, we know how crucial it is have completed an internship (if not several) before graduation, but it’s easy to be discouraged by the horror stories of endless coffee runs and paperwork to be filed.

I spent my college summers marching with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps and my fall semesters busy with Texas Christian University’s Drum line. I knew my only option to complete an internship would be during the spring semester. Any internship can be intimidating, but knowing I would have to balance my coursework and extracurriculars in addition to learning my way around the “real world” was enough to set my head spinning.

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Warren Douglas Advertising when CEO Doug Briley came to speak during my 8 am Arts Administration class. As he detailed WD’s work with Texas Ballet Theater, I was wide-awake (not a common state for me at 8 am) and could hear my own voice shouting in my head, “There. That’s where I want to work.”

I hovered after class to introduce myself and sent one (*multiple) emails to my professor, asking (*begging) her to help me coordinate an interview with Warren Douglas for my spring internship.

All the pieces fell together and I was able to intern, not once, but twice, at a company that welcomed me with open arms. The teams I was able to work with did not give me busy work, but instead allowed me to work hands-on with actual client projects. The WD team is brilliant, but more importantly, they are patient and wonderful teachers.

Here are my tips for other students looking for equally beneficial internships:

• Consider looking outside of the university job postings for internship positions. Searching for opportunities among your interests will help you find internships you are enthusiastic about.
• Be open to working with multiple departments, whether or not you’re interested in pursuing a career in them. It never hurts to have more knowledge about the company as a whole and you may even stumble upon a new field that interests you!
• Don’t let the “intern” status prevent you from contributing – if you work hard and are eager to learn, your thoughts will be valuable to your team.

My main recommendation for all college students looking for internships is to find a company that doesn’t just need interns – they want them. Companies like WD are searching for employees who are eager to create good work. These are the best kinds of internships – if you really commit to giving it your all, you will gain valuable experience and knowledge and the company receives quality work because you know enough to truly contribute.

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