As our session of the HLK internship comes to an end, we wanted to share some of our favorite things from this experience and possible advice for future HLKers. We are so sad to be going, but endlessly grateful for this experience.

Questions:

What is one thing that you learned during this internship that you will take with you when you leave?
What advice do you have for future HLK interns?
Future Plans?
Describe this internship experience in 5 words or less.
Any last remarks?

Ashton Stegman

Something I learned during this internship is what it's like to be at an agency. Even though we weren't in the office, our mentors were always so thoughtful and introduced us to so many people. The opportunities to sit in on meetings, meet people in all kinds of roles and work on real client projects were truly unmatched. This experience has really made me confident in that I know this is what I want to be doing.
Some advice I would give to future interns is to just take as much as you can in. Take notes, meet new people, get all the feedback you can on your work, never stop learning. The six weeks go by fasttttt so just make sure to have fun while you're doing it and never stop learning.
I'm TBD on my future plans. I absolutely love copywriting, especially at an agency, so hopefully something that aligns with those goals.
Is This Right? Yes? Cool!
THANK YOU. Thank you everyone at HLK. This has been such a great experience. Thank you Jessy! You've taught me so much in such a short amount of time while keeping things fun.

Bella Corona

I learned a deeper understanding of how to find a deeper meaning or underlying tension of an audience. I was able to learn how I can better understand people through research and how to best meet them.
I want the next group of interns to not take these six weeks for granted! It goes by way too fast, much faster than they will expect.
I am starting my senior year and my NSAC capstone as an account planner in the fall. I can’t wait to see what more is to come as I finish up my senior year and start looking for a job in the spring!
Oh god, please don’t end!
I am so thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I am so thankful to everyone at HLK who helped us along the way. A huge thank you to Jenny for being an amazing mentor! This experience would not have been so impactful and wonderful if she hadn’t been so supportive and motivating! I also want to thank all the girls on the team! It crazy how five random strangers I have never met in person can become my friends. I'm going to miss everyone:)

Alexis Maragni

My main takeaway from this internship is how game-changing it is to work on a team where we each have our own role but then we can come together to create something epic.
Dear Future HLK interns, you got this. Don’t be afraid of asking for help from your mentors and other HLKers. Everyone’s rooting for your success.
My hope for the future is to find my place within a collaborative team environment that challenges me to be better - at my craft and as a human.
Best 6-week rollercoaster ever.
The last thing I want to say is thank you times a billion to everyone at HLK who devoted their time - whether it was five minutes or several hours - to providing resources, sharing feedback, and speaking encouragement. There is so much talent on this team, but more importantly it’s a team with top-notch character.

Michelle Thai

One thing that I learned from this internship was all the bits and pieces that make an agency successful. There are so many different roles that make a campaign successful and this internship helped me get a better understanding of that. I learned to quickly adjust to these different roles and work closely as a team.
This internship goes by way too fast and I would advice the next group of interns to cherish every moment of it. Even though it's a short internship, you can make the most out of it by utilizing all of your resources and reaching out to people beyond your mentors as well.
It's difficult to plan too much right now, but I would love to find a content strategist or public relations role at an agency.
Pairing Cute Tops With Sweatpants
Thank you so much to everyone who has made this internship so great. I'm extremely grateful to have been able to work with such a fun and talented team. Also, thank you to Ashley for being an amazing mentor!

Abby Carpenter

I learned so much during this internship it is hard to narrow it down to one thing. With that being said, my main takeaway from this internship was the importance and benefit of collaboration. The opportunity to work daily with the other interns and to get advice from all the mentors was crucial to creating these projects. We could bounce ideas off of each other, receive feedback and utilize each of our skill sets through every task and obstacle.
My advice for future HLK interns is to be curious, ask questions and utilize your mentor. My mentor was one person that helped me grow and learn throughout this process because she answered all of my questions and allowed me to expand my knowledge beyond what was needed for the project we were working on. Also, make sure to schedule happy hours with your intern group :)
My immediate future plan is to head to the lake for the weekend woo! After that I have one year left at DePauw University and then hoping to find a job where I can combine personal skills with a collaborative team.
I would like to shout out the entire BOUND team. It was amazing to work with you all and develop friendships, despite ever meeting in person. I also want to thank everyone at HLK for hopping on Zoom calls, answering slack messages and making us feel part of the team. Finally, a HUGE thank you to all the mentors (especially Lydia) for guiding us through this internship.

Lauren Harris

One thing I learned during this internship is it is GOOD to be nervous about an idea, that means it’s good! And if not, guess what? You can always make it better! I have learned that it is much more worth it to think outside the box and try new things than to do something just within the confines of thinking it will make the client happy. That is something that I will take with me to every experience after this.
Future Interns, have fun! Bond with the people you are working with and get to know them outside of work-talk. This can be so beneficial when it comes to bouncing ideas of one another and in my opinion can make the end result of all of your combined work 10x better. Plus what’s better than gaining 5 new friends at the end of the experience?
My future is a little uncertain at the moment (thank you corona), but my goal is to end up at an agency doing Account Management and then maybe venturing into other fields. I know for certain I do want to be at an agency though, there is nothing else like them.
Bringing my bed-head to work (is that 6? oopsie)
Ugh I really just want to thank everyone at HLK and my team. The entire HLK company made us feel so comfortable from day 1, and did everything in their power to make sure we were still getting the most out of this internship even though it was remote. I wouldn’t change a thing. I also am so grateful for my team, I think I got lucky with the amazing group of women I worked with! It’s one thing to say I learned so much during this experience but it’s another to say I had fun every single day doing it. So THANK YOU!