Humanities Internship Spotlight
Jasmin Coreas | Marin O'Brien | Tate Brusa
Humanities students gain valuable, career-ready skills through their coursework and co-curricular programs. Internships offer an essential opportunity to apply these skills in real-world settings, explore potential career paths, and gain professional experience. For many students, completing an internship is a key step in successfully transitioning from college to the workplace.
In summer 2025, I interned with HNTB Corporation as an Office Assistant. This internship provided me with valuable hands-on experience that aligned closely with my academic and professional interests. I was able to apply strategic thinking and creativity to real-world tasks such as content development, event planning, and internal communication—skills that are essential in my major.
One of my favorite highlights was working on budgeting projects where I created tracking tools in Google Sheets and Excel to help visualize and report office spending. I also enjoyed using my creative skillset on platforms like Canva to design invitations and internal materials.
A challenge that I experienced is imposter syndrome. Since this was my first internship, I went in feeling doubtful and worried that I might fail. I learned to persevere through it by getting out of my comfort zone and taking advantage of the opportunity. I reached out to the corporate communications and marketing team to get involved in projects, and it made me realize that I absolutely belong because they picked me.
For those considering similar roles, my biggest advice is to take initiative and step outside your comfort zone. Opportunities won’t always be handed to you; you have to seek them out. What started as uncertainty grew into a meaningful experience where I left feeling like I belonged and was making a difference.
I was drawn to the position of radio DJ because of my passion for broadcasting. It related to my major, as I aspire to be a news reporter after college; however, working in live radio provided me with numerous tools and experiences that were beneficial as I prepare to transition into news broadcasting. During the spring semester of 2025, I took Radio Journalism with Maria Shilaos Nelson. I learned valuable skills in writing and speaking specifically for radio. That class prepared me for how I should speak on air.
One skill I brought into the position was my strong public speaking voice. I had always been confident in my speaking abilities, and that was a major advantage for me during the summer at KPCW. In addition to hosting my regular show, I was asked to record several promotional ads for companies that sponsored KPCW because of my strength in hitting the right tone for underwriting messages.
Working as a DJ over the summer prepared me for entering the broadcasting world by
giving me extensive on-air experience. When I eventually secure a broadcasting job,
whether in news or radio, I will know how to act and what to expect when live on air.
I also gained valuable multitasking skills while working at KPCW. Sometimes, while
live on air, I realized I needed to fill more time before the next break by finding
a longer song while simultaneously preparing what I would say during the next segment.
I found multitasking to be enjoyable, especially while live; it kept me on my toes.
Because my role required me to be live on air, I learned that making mistakes was
okay. Occasionally, I stumbled over words when discussing the weather or local events.
The most common mistake I made was mispronouncing the names of musical artists. I
learned to maintain a confident voice and brush off those moments as if nothing had
happened.
I was extremely grateful to have found this position, and I have continued working at KPCW as a radio DJ after the summer ended. The role taught me valuable life skills such as multitasking and working under pressure, and it reaffirmed that a career in broadcasting was absolutely what I want to pursue after college.
My summer 2025 internship for the Bunzl Processor Division was nothing short of an exceptional one. I had the pleasure of working closely with the National Accounts team, which opened my knowledge quite a bit when it comes to PPE (personal protective equipment), packaging, blades, and MRO (maintenance, repair, operations) to name a few. I was also invited to sit in on a few meetings related to international pricing and the unfortunate adjustments of prices due to global tariffs.
I had the pleasure of attending two regional trade shows across the nation, giving me insight into how Bunzl showcases their product line to specific independent processors. It was very beneficial seeing these things because I can absolutely envision myself doing this exact position once I graduate from school. Throughout my internship, my knowledge in the business field grew exponentially – exactly what I was hoping for.
Seeing how a large company like Bunzl functions behind the scenes has been a gift, and I am forever grateful. Being able to see just how important communication at a corporation really is, only validates my choice of becoming a strategic communication major. At one of their conferences in Asheville, NC, I was even asked to go up on stage and perform a tune during the reception, which made this experience much more memorable.