Absolutely Empowering Past Review
By Juliet Watkin-Rees (University College Birmingham) - abroad from 09/10/2016 to 03/18/2017 with
The Intern Group: Intern in New York City through The Intern Group
The Intern Group New York City Program has been the most incredible experience of my life so far and has empowered my future career from my CV to learning endless skills within the workplace. I interned at iris Worldwide, a marketing agency, for 6 months and within that time exceeded the role of an intern to fulfilling the role of an assistant account executive. It was amazing to have such responsibility and become so integrated within the iris NY team. The Intern Group perfectly fit me with the role at iris and it couldn't have been more successful. As an assistant account executive I collaborated with the team to execute Reckitt Benckiser CRM projects, the Barclaycard portfolio of work & new business pitches. I prepared and managed weekly status calls with clients, coordinated creative revision requests between clients and the creative team, structured creative resourcing, created and managed timelines. It was fantastic to have exposure to clients and the reality of the role through a brilliant mentor relationship. My mentor, Allison, taught and guided me through each responsibility and I received constructive feedback on every thing I did. Outside of my role I loved to get involved with the office dynamic and activities. I proactively led a ‘Participation Branding Chat’ and devised an in-house Snapchat implementation program. My internship allowed me to get really immersed within the workplace. Six months was the perfect amount of time (If I could have I would have stayed more!) as I was able to properly understand the role and have a better idea of marketing. Since The Intern Group Program I have landed two competitive internships in London, all of which have been extremely impressed with the level of skill I learnt whilst taking part in my 6 month internship.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Intern New York team were brilliant. I was extremely impressed with their support and encouragement throughout the six months I was in NY. In particular, Brian - the experience coordinator, was absolutely fantastic and created a great social scene for Intern New Yorkers to enjoy and meet new people with. Over the six months, Brian consistently showed such enthusiasm and care for every intern and made the experience a lot more personal. It was very reassuring to know Brian would be there if you needed any help/advice/a friend. On the weekends The Intern Group would host activities such as a bike ride in Central Park, going to the Top of the Rock, visiting museums/galleries etc. This was the perfect opportunity to make friends and made the experience far less daunting of moving to a new country by yourself. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
92Y is an extremely safe, functional halls in the Upper East Side. Initially I was shocked at the standard of the accommodation but soon realised it was the reality of living in Manhattan and realised the benefit of being surrounded by other interns down the corridor as well as plenty of other young people. The rooms were very basic and clinical. I was disappointed by the kitchen facilities, with one oven per floor (75 on a floor). We ultimately had to store our food/utensils in our rooms. However 92Y is a famous hub of culture within NYC and was a fascinating place to live, with many incredible talks taking place and fantastic facilities like the gym and 24/7 security which was so reassuring. Living in the Upper East Side was extremely handy and being so close to a subway station made my commute to and from work very easy. I will never get over having central park just 4 blocks away and being able to experience living in heart of NYC in Manhattan. |
| * Food: |
N/A |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt extremely integrated and immersed in the culture of New York. It was a crazy time to witness with the political turmoil and public reactions. It was amazing to see the unity and determination of the city. My absolute favourite day was taking part in the Women's March on January 21st. Every weekend there was something exciting going on in NY to get involved with. It was amazing to experience so many cultural events like Halloween, Thanksgiving and the run up to Christmas. I didn't meet many Americans outside work which was a shame as I very much socialised within the Intern Group with other internationals. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
There was a little confusion with the health insurance as a result of being one of the earlier interns. I had to work out how to go about getting a doctor's appointment as it wasn't totally clear but after the first time, the Intern Group Team made sure to know how I had done it so they could help/guide others. The Intern Group Team were extremely supportive whenever anyone felt ill and provided great personal care. I was able to message them at any time. |
| * Safety: |
I felt completely safe throughout my time in New York, this was a result of the accomodations 24/7 security but also the attentive care of the Intern Group. It was extremely easy to get in touch with them to express any concerns and I knew if I got into trouble they would help me immediately. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
New York was extremely expensive - particularly with food. However the incredible experience I had was worth every penny. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew the expense of living in NY so I could have saved up more prior to the trip so I could fully enjoy everything without worrying. I believed that I would be cooking for myself most nights but due to the accomodations poor kitchen facilities I ended up eating out most nights for ease. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
