The USF Muma
College of Business Dean’s Office is seeking interns for the spring 2020
semester. With registration around the
corner, now is the time to apply as we prefer students earn course credit
through the Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications. Marketing students enrolled in the Marketing
Practicum course are also encouraged to apply.
We may be
biased, but we think this is one of the best internship experiences for
marketing, PR, journalism or advertising students.
- You
will be part of a team but you will direct yourself when it comes to your parts
of a project.
- You
will get to put skills you have now into play while you learn new ones – such
as how to send email blasts, how to pull and decipher metrics used to evaluate
PR efforts, and how to implement special events.
- You
will be able to contribute ideas while working on some established projects
that prior interns have already launched and made successful (so you don’t have
to reinvent the wheel).
ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS
INTERNSHIP AT USF MUMA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
The interns
work in the USF Muma College of Business Dean’s Office, serving as a regular
team member for the 3.5-person staff who handle the business school’s
newsletter, special events, marketing, and public relations projects – along
with a million other things.
Interns
typically work a minimum of 10 hours per week (24 hours per week for those
seeking three credit hours – which we prefer!).
Work hours vary but are typically during the 8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. time
frame, though some projects can be done at the intern’s home, after hours, on
the sofa, while watching American Horror Story.
Some examples
of projects that the spring interns handle:
- Help
plan an event featuring a nationally known speaker as we kick off the Thought
Leaders Series. Tasks will range from
clerical (we all stuff nametags) to bigger picture (how to promote the event on
social media to day-of-event tasks (yes, interns will staff the check in table,
help set up, and help clean up after the event). Interns may assist with the creation of
supplemental materials (handouts, imagery for event signage, scripting). All will be done under the supervision of
college staff.
- Create
a promotional campaign for the 25 Under 25 program targeting current USF
business majors – and implementing the campaign in order to get a minimum of 125
applications. This means interns will
make presentations to fraternities and sororities on the weekend, visit larger
classes to promote the program, etc.
Interns will create flyers, post banners, send out email blasts – and do
whatever other ideas are included on the intern-created promotional plan.
- Plan
and implement the recognition event for the 25 Under 25 program, which is
typically held at Busch Gardens. Interns
help write the script and completely handle set up and most of the logistics
for the special event.
- Once
the 25 honorees for the 25 Under 25 campaign have been selected, write at least
seven of the 25 bios for the students and schedule photo shoots, video shoots, etc. Interns help with a social media campaign to
garner votes for the “most remarkable” honoree, aiming for 30,000+ pageviews
for the profiles (the most important part of the project). Interns update display cases to showcase the
newly selected honorees. Interns with
videography skills may be invited to shoot the videos for the project.
- Reach
out to prior honorees to update the “where are they now” pages and, using
InDesign, produce the 25 Under 25 booklets.
This means making a LOT of phone calls and sending out lots of emails.
- We
have a video wall in the college now; interns with experience producing videos
will have an opportunity to contribute content and help manage the wall. This would be a terrific opportunity for
telecommunications students!
- There
are several smaller special events that interns will help with: an open house for the Bulls Business
Community to help recruit top performing high schoolers (interns help with the
direct mail and email efforts, as well as the actual event). Other events might include the
Intercollegiate Case Competition or graduation receptions.
- Write
at least three stories for the college’s general newsletter and/or the website.
- Other
duties as assigned, likely “one-off” projects where intern will handle HTML
email blasts, design/distribute event invitations, help plan Executive Advisory
Council meetings, or help proofread scripts and printed collaterals for lots of
events.
Specific
projects are assigned once the full internship team has been brought on board
each semester.
WHAT YOU GET FROM THIS
INTERNSHIP
This is an
unpaid internship but that doesn’t mean you walk away empty-handed. We guarantee that our interns leave with
valuable new skills that will help them land a job. We work (almost) as hard as
the interns to make sure that you have portfolio items and metrics that you can
use to showcase how your work impacted project results.
Because we
are located in the Dean’s Office, students selected for this opportunity have
many opportunities to build their network and to meet influential business and
community leaders.
Other
bonuses: attire is (most days) business casual (no jeans, no shorts). The office is near the Dean’s Office kitchen,
where all the leftover food from lunch meetings seems to head – meaning interns
frequently enjoy free lunch! Few internships will work around your class
schedule more than this one will. You
won’t have to worry about driving downtown or paying for parking because we are
located on campus, in BSN 201.
WHO DO WE WANT AND HOW DO
YOU APPLY?
We want
interns who like being part of a team.
We prefer interns who are juniors or seniors (but will consider
sophomores who are go-getters!). We like
interns who have a sense of humor (but know when it is time to be serious and
just get the work done). Our favorite interns have been those who asked for
direction on a project and then did it – coming back to ask questions or to
clarify things but not waiting to be told exactly what to do and when.
We are not
micromanagers. Our office is noisy and is
often crowded. Our “to do” list never
ends. Seriously. Ask any prior intern.
We share this
because we believe that our interns should know a few things coming in:
- If you
like a quiet, orderly workspace, this might not be the internship for you.
- If you
always tackle Step A, then Step B, and would never-ever move on to Step C while
you are waiting for elements needed to finish the first two parts, then this
internship is probably not for you.
- If you
want someone to tell you exactly what to do when you arrive in the morning and
to have your tasks for the day all lined up before you arrive, then you
probably would not enjoy this opportunity.
However, if
you relish being able to take big chunks of a project and make it your own, then
this this might be the perfect internship for you. If you like contributing ideas that might
make a project more successful (or run more smoothly), then this could be a
great fit. If you are comfortable multi-tasking but you know when you have to plow
through dreaded chores because the deadline is looming, this could be the
internship you dream about landing. If
you like to write (and know that editors make your writing better) then this is
the internship for you!
For the spring semester, we would ideally have 1-2 marketing students and 1-2 mass communications majors join us. It would be terrific to have at least one telecommunications student on the team, too. Last spring, we had seven interns. That was too many. We will select a maximum of five interns. This means you must set yourself apart from your peers. We are not as concerned with the amount of experience you have had thus far (an internship is to help you get experience, right?). We are more interested in your willingness to learn, your fit with the larger team, and your understanding of what we offer as well as what we need – and the fit between the two.
To apply: send a well-written
cover letter and résumé to Lorie Briggs, lbriggs@usf.edu. Résumés
submitted without cover letters are rarely considered.
Last spring, we had seven interns. That was too many. We will select a maximum of five
interns. This means you must set
yourself apart from your peers with an error-free cover letter and resume. We are not as concerned with the amount of
experience you have had thus far (an internship is to help you get experience,
right?). We are more interested in your
willingness to learn, your ability to work independently AND your willingness
to be part of the larger team project.
Applications will be
accepted until December 2 for internships that begin in January. Applying early is to your advantage:
candidates who apply early will be interviewed early (meaning the slots
could be full if you wait until December to apply).
