This blog is part of a special series on our summer interns by our Marketing Intern, Ethan!
My name is Ethan, and I’ll be attending the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire this fall to further my studies in marketing. For the last month and a half, I’ve interned with C³ Corporation in their marketing internship program. Internship opportunities are essential for any college student looking to advance his or her professional career.
Gaining Experience in Different Departments
Coming into this summer I was familiar with C³ Corporation because I worked for them in the past. Last summer I worked full time in the shipping and receiving department and now I split my workday between shipping and receiving and marketing. Working in the operations side of the business, I got a great understanding of what our company does and really loved the work environment. Everyone is a go-go-go type of person, which I believe makes this workplace a driving success.
Embracing the C³ Culture
One of the first things I noticed about C³ on my first day was the company culture. Each employee I had the chance to meet had a smile on their face; I could tell they enjoyed working here. I quickly came to realize the recent accomplishments and credibility that C³ achieved. The CEO, Joe Van De Hey, once said, “Working at C³ is like creating art, every day.” His statement made me feel special because I knew that I was going to be making art in taking over the social media platforms in the marketing department.
As an intern, it feels great to gain marketing experience with this company and have the opportunity to network with established professionals. I had preconceived notions about my day-to-day responsibilities when I first started, but each day is different. This company has given me very difficult challenges, such as handling multiple projects, working across several departments, and striving within a high-paced work environment. These responsibilities need to stay consistent and accurate to allow the work environment to flow correctly.
Project Work in the Marketing Department
So far, the projects I’ve worked on for C³ this summer have been a lot about who our new interns are. Check out my of my pieces on the C³ website here. Collaborating with my supervisor, Courtney, everyday helps me bring my ideas forward. She lets me take control of C³’s social media and allows me to excel by taking over projects like these blogs.
My day to day experience is crazy as of right now. I am currently working on managing four social media profiles, producing a video, and shipping a career fair recruitment marketing campaign.
I think I’m most fond of taking over the social media profiles. Social media is becoming an essential aspect of all businesses and the demand for professionals with experience in this field will continue to grow.
I plan on using the insight I’m gaining at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The experience I am getting this summer will improve my studies by getting the opportunity to work hands-on in a professional environment. I have gained new connections and improved my communication skills. This is great because it allows me to join clubs at UWEC that will help improve upon my desired career path. Personally, my internship has introduced me to a lot of useful resources like LinkedIn, and has given me the opportunity to meet a variety of professionals in my field.
Special Intern Treatment
Along with working on several other projects, I appreciate being able to sit in on department and company-wide meetings. The meetings allow me to see what management says about employee efforts and what strides they are taking to improve the company.
A very memorable moment of the summer was the “Lunch and Learns.” These “Lunch and Learns” are great because we get FREE lunch and we get to listen to guest speakers that focused on improving our workplace, how our company is doing, and how to increase productivity.
I seek the type of work that makes me uncomfortable at first. If each project you are assigned is not somewhat challenging, what’s the point? I like getting out of my comfort zone initially to truthfully find out what work suits me best.
My supervisor, Courtney has provided me with a sense of empowerment. I am able to work through my projects but realize that help is there if need be.
Although the internship is at the halfway point, and school is back in session in September, I cannot thank C³ and their team enough for having me on board. This has been great to be a part of such a well-known and revered company.
I can frankly say that I came into the summer with a good amount of marketing knowledge and experience, but I am gaining much more. One final take away from my experience so far is learning and experiencing the core values of C³. By providing the highest level of customer service, expertise, social responsibility, innovation, flexibility, and respect, C³ continues to be a leader in their field by creating art everyday.