Hannah Semler

Majors: Public Relations and Strategic Communication 

Field Marketing Intern, Celsius Holdings, Inc.

1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity? 

Aside from being a student at Purdue, I am also a student marketing ambassador for Celsius.I represent the brand on my own college campus to connect students with our brand’s values and products. After completing my first semester in this role, I was motivated to learn more about a brand that I am so passionate about and saw that they had internship opportunities on LinkedIn. I applied on their profile in order to be challenged in my professional aspirations after college and learn from professionals in a profession I hope to achieve after my time at Purdue. 

2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals?  

After my time at Purdue, I hope to pursue a career in marketing with a brand that is up and coming, trendy and is one that I believe in. Celsius not only checks off all those boxes but is a brand that I consume regularly. This internship experience was an incredible opportunity to see how my role on campus is translated into a professional world with the fastest growing brands in the market. I had the opportunity to complete my internship on-site and experience their corporate headquarters in person. I was not only surrounded by inspiring professionals, but also immersed in a unique company culture that I felt supported in, challenged in and welcome in as well. On the professional side, I was able to develop skills such as networking, professional communication, field marketing, management, event planning and interpersonal consumer communication to name a few. I was also able to see what it’s like to work in a fast-paced environment, with a brand that has been in a period of rapid growth. By the end of my time in this internship, I was able to truly recognize my career aspirations and know that marketing is a profession that I aspire to purse after my time at Purdue University.  

3.) How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship?  

Since being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue University, I have been able to not only take courses that are tailored to my interests such as social media marketing and consumer experience marketing. One course, for example, was an interpersonal communication course I have taken while being at Purdue. This course allowed me to learn vital skills in professional communication as well as consumer communications, which both were important in my internship this summer. Since being in the college of liberal arts, I have also been able to develop skills in budgeting, planning, and coordinating events and constructing detailed reports to be presented to the marketing leadership team. I am very thankful for the skills and opportunities the college of liberal arts has presented to me during my time at Purdue, and I know these skills will help me far beyond my time at Purdue.

4.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking for an internship?   

One piece of advice I have for someone looking for an internship is to never be afraid to ask questions. Asking questions is the best way to learn, grow relationships with those you work with and most importantly expand your knowledge in the professional space you could potentially work in one day. Reach out to someone you look up to on LinkedIn and ask questions about their profession or academic career in order to learn more about their journeys to where they are today! Asking questions is never a form of weakness, but instead a form of curiosity and enthusiasm to learn and grow. Ask questions and challenge yourself! Seeking internships is intimidating, but you never know what opportunities could come your way when you put yourself out there and seek the opportunities you aspire to pursue!