There’s a reason New York City is known as the city that never sleeps and the city that makes dreams come true. For Lindsey G., a student at Humber College in Toronto, Canada and a public relations intern, she found all of that to be true and more. NYC in the springtime was the only place Lindsey wanted to be.
Why I decided to intern abroad
Some people describe traveling as the act of falling in love repeatedly - with each new place and adventure. For Lindsey, who had extensive travel experience (like exploring Thailand on her own), an internship abroad was ideal.
“Growing up, I was very fortunate to do a lot of traveling with my parents, and because of that I always enjoyed exploring different cultures and [immersing] myself in different lifestyles.”
It also happens that NYC is one of the most sought-after places for public relations. Lindsey’s goal for her internship was not only to immerse herself in the fast-paced lifestyle of the local New Yorker but to receive credit for the internship.
“I chose a college that had a mandatory internship as part of the program so that I would have the opportunity to go abroad, that was three years ago, so I’ve had the idea to intern abroad in mind since then.”
After three years of hard work, Lindsey was thrilled to spend her spring semester in the city that never sleeps.
“I enjoy the fast pace lifestyle during the day. However, I enjoy taking walks around Central Park or around my neighborhood at night and really seeing the change in dynamic. Everything is a lot calmer and gives me time to reflect – best of both worlds.”
Lindsey’s PR internship
Lindsey G. interned at ZOÏ (‘life’ in Greek), which was founded in 2000 by Maria Varvarikos and established with the vision to help bring brands to life in creative ways. With offices in New York, Montreal, and Toronto, their boutique agency offers each client full North American support and global public relations services, which was a perfect match for Lindsey.
A career in public relations is for the go-getter, the overachiever, the person who takes every experience and makes it their own. Lindsey hit the ground running with her PR internship. She absolutely loved working in the fast-paced city and modern workspace.
“Being in public relations, it’s different every day, sometimes you’ll have stuff to work on but then a client wants to jump on a call to discuss things and then you’re on the phone for hours with them.”
A day in the life
Lindsey G. interned in NYC on our spring program, when the winter weather finally starts to release its hold and people are just beginning to hang up winter coats for spring-time florals and putting their own personal style on things.
Lindsey’s PR internship was located in the heart of NoMAd, a growing center that meshes tech and creativity. Lindsey’s PR firm was only a few subway stops away from our centrally located housing - making for a nice morning commute that gave her just enough time to prepare for her work day.
“I was also working on sourcing items for the gifting. For example, we can’t just send the product in a plain box. We have to have a cool idea and presentation for how the influencer will receive the product. Once we have a cool idea, my job is to find the items needed to put it together!”
Lindsey was able to experience a variety of tasks, from drafting press documents, monitoring and submitting content to various media outlets, and joining team meetings to brainstorm activities, and generating and monitoring reports.
“When we have new clients, we have a team brainstorm on how we’re going to promote that new client in the US media. Prior to the day of the Snapchat takeover, we had a team meeting and so I was working on expanding my ideas with proper research so that the next brainstorm I can share not just ideas, but stats to back it up.”
Snapchat takeover
New Yorkers tend to have a stereotype of always being in a rush, and maybe that was true for Lindsey’s morning commute, but her coworkers definitely carved out time in their busy calendars to make guest appearances for her Snapchat takeover to play a fun game and give you some top notch PR advice.
“I found the takeovers to be really helpful and fun to watch. I wanted to do it so that I can show a fun, but also an informative day in my life and I hope that it helps others...Doing the takeover just made me realize all over again how much I love public relations and the tasks that I work on throughout the day! Also, it was really nice having some fun with my Coworkers!”
Life and culture in the Big Apple
While NYC was only a quick plane ride away from Lindsey’s home in Ontario, Canada - she picked one of the most vibrant, and international cities in the world. NYC is like a magnet for people who want to dig a little deeper, who want to push the boundaries a little further - people like Lindsey.
“I have always enjoyed traveling, indulging in cultures and immersing myself in different lifestyles. This experience with meeting so many people from all over the world really solidified my love for traveling and everything that comes with it!”
Interning abroad isn’t just the chance to gain professional skills that will boost a resume or help our alumni ace their futures interviews - it’s also a way for people to connect on a global scale and have real life-changing experiences.
Clarifying a career path
For Lindsey, whose plans include moving to NYC to work in PR after graduation, this was the ultimate way to get a sneak peek of what the future has in store for her.
“I definitely will continue to travel for the rest of my life. From personal growth, to growth in my career, to meeting so many cool people and making new friends, I couldn’t have imagined [the experience] to be any better!”
It’s safe to say that, like NYC, Lindsey’s future is bright.
Advice to future interns
If you’re thinking about interning abroad, Lindsey has advice for you:
“So cliché but – go for it! If you’re debating on whether you should go or not because you’re scared, then the answer is that you should definitely do it. It’s scary and a hard thing to do but that’s exactly why you should intern abroad! There is only so much growth that you can do when you live inside your box. There’s so much of the world out there to see; this would be the perfect opportunity to see it!”
If you’re even thinking about it, you’re halfway to doing it. It’s possible to make your dreams a reality, and if interning abroad through Global Experiences is a dream of yours, then why not make it come true in a city that’s defined by dreamers? Apply today and one of our Admissions Counselors will get you started on your way to an international internship.
