Neeley Students Discuss Entrepreneurial Internship Experiences
In a recent article, the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University shared the summer internship experiences of Neeley students interested in entrepreneurship. The students had opportunities in a variety of countries and industries. Below are some of the experiences students shared:
Sheridan Hauk, an entrepreneurial management student at Neeley, had the opportunity to intern with Kemosabe Records in Los Angeles, where running into popular bands in the lobby was commonplace. As part of her internship, Hauk had the opportunity to listen to music that had not been released to the public yet on a regular basis.
Adam Beasley had the opportunity to intern with Latitude in India, which gave him both a deeper understanding of the fish exporting industry and an introduction to a different culture. He told Neeley representatives that the thing that surprised him most in his internship was the attire of CEOs in India. “I met with CEOs of companies that were grossing millions of dollars each year, yet we were often overdressed in our business casual,” Beasley said. “They were also very accessible. We were able to set up meetings the same day we called.”
Other budding entrepreneurs also faced cultural and international adjustments as part of their internships. Robert Burns interned with Esperanza International in the Dominican Republic, living in a dwelling with no A/C and sporadic electricity and water coverage. “I learned a lot about myself and a lot about life,” said Burns.
Lauren Buchholz interned at IBM in Austin, Texas, where she had the opportunity to develop iOS and Android mobile apps, while Connor Vaccaro provided social media consulting, marketing reports, and sponsorship management for marketing departments at big companies.
While working at startups, interns had the opportunity to learn how to start a company hands-on. “Building awareness for a new company is hard!” said Blair Middlebrook, who interned with TapGoods in Dallas. “We worked with a tight budget to come up with creative ways to get the word out.”
