Students gain experience, valuable insights through summer internships

College of Business finance and marketing senior Brooke Kuhlman returned to campus last week with more confidence in her marketing skills and a long list of professional contacts thanks to her three-month internship at Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. 

From the moment she walked in the door of Nike’s skateboard branding department, Kuhlman was charged with helping to build the company’s brand among female skateboarders worldwide. The task involved tracking down these athletes, arranging for them to come to Nike headquarters and helping recruit them as Nike ambassadors who tout Nike skateboarding gear in their local markets.

Kuhlman was among Florida State University business students who fanned out across the globe this past summer to take advantage of internships that offered hands-on work experience, expanded their professional networks and, in some cases, scored them a permanent job offer. While some students earned academic credit for their internships, all will be able to add the valuable work experience to their resumes.

“From the time I was a freshman, I had my heart set on an internship with Nike with the intention of eventually working there full time,” said Kuhlman, who came to FSU on an athletic scholarship, serves as captain of the women’s beach volleyball team and interns with FSU’s sports marketing department. “I made a point to socialize with people in the skateboarding department, as well as other departments, and with as many athletes outside of Nike as I could to build my network.”

Like Kuhlman, Jeremy Guttveg was lucky enough to land a spot in an area of special interest to him. He was selected for Yamaha Corporation of America’s highly competitive Studio 60 internship program in Buena Park, Calif. The world’s largest maker of musical instruments, Yamaha enabled Guttveg to couple his love of music with his marketing major at the College of Business. Studio 60 functions as Yamaha’s in-house advertising and creative agency for its musical instruments and audio/visual products.

"Jeremy’s passion for music, education in marketing and long-time creative and artistic involvement with his community make him the perfect fit for Yamaha,” said Roger Eaton, the company’s chief marketing director. “Working with Studio 60 will be valuable to Jeremy as he looks ahead to a career in marketing and music."

For students still deciding what specific field they want to enter, internships are a great way to find out what they like and don’t like.  

At NGA Human Resources in Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom, management major Alyssa Cunningham spent her internship doing an internal communications audit and creating an employee exit survey. She also decided the human resources field is for her.

“I really enjoyed learning about the culture of the workplace in the U.K., the difference in roles between generalists and specialists, seeing how multinational and multicultural businesses run efficiently, and the various communication platforms being used to reach employees most effectively,” said Cunningham, who graduates next spring. “I plan on working in human resources, but hopefully in the U.S.” 

Sydney Feder’s internship with Johnson & Johnson in Jacksonville, Fla., gave her a look into the world of global brand management.

“Working at Johnson & Johnson was a first step toward discovering what I want to do in the future,” said the management and hospitality major. “Every person I met gave me incredible insight into what it takes to be successful inside and outside the office and gave me a clearer idea of the types of positions I would likely hold during my career.”

Students find their internships a number of ways – through alumni mentors, hometown connections, faculty relationships with corporate leaders and, very frequently, through FSU- and college-sponsored networking events featuring corporate recruiters. The college’s Internships and Career Services Office emails a newsletter to business students every Tuesday with new internship opportunities and other important career-related information. Another effective resource is SeminoleLink Powered by Handshake, the FSU Career Center’s online system.

In the case of Hannah Artille, the Seminole Sales Showcase Career Fair, which is specifically for professional sales students, got her in the door at State Farm agent Vicki Catsimpiris’ Tallahassee office.

“Vicki heard my elevator speech at the Seminole Sales Showcase, saw potential in me that I didn’t see and offered me an internship,” Artille said. “Turns out I like talking to strangers and making cold calls. This experience has provided me with tools I’ll be able to use when I interact with potential future employers, co-workers and customers. I have grown from a nervous, young sales woman into someone who can take control of any situation and persuade people to listen to my sales pitch.”

Employers interested in learning more about the benefits of hiring an FSU College of Business intern can find information here.