Beatriz Estay ’17

How did you explore your interests and decide on a major?

Coming into Lake Forest College, I knew I wanted to major in communication. It wasn’t until I took an Intro to Sociology and Anthropology class with Professor Sadri that I decided to double major. When I started at Lake Forest, there was no marketing program, therefore, I created my own by choosing these two majors.

What were your responsibilities as an intern?

As an intern at Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide, I had the chance to take part in a lot of projects. Three main components of my internship consisted of: (1) pitching a comprehensive marketing plan to top executives, which was then successfully activated by the client; (2) leading research and activation for client work, resulting in record breaking engagement on social platforms (e.g. P&G Olympics, Weight Watchers Ice Cream, Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Fisher Nuts, Helen of Troy, etc.); and (3) facilitating marketing campaign insights, resulting in the strengthening of brands across various platforms.

What was the most rewarding part of your internship?

The most rewarding part of my internship was being deeply involved in project work. I had the chance to voice my opinions in meetings and be involved with a campaign from start to finish. I also had amazing mentors and co-workers to spend my work days with, which made the experience all the better.

What did you learn about yourself during your internship?

I learned that I wanted to be involved with more of the strategy and insights area of marketing. This way I can use both sets of skills from my majors.

What role has your internship played in shaping your career path?

I completed my internship with Blue Chip going into senior year which was perfect timing. Having this internship during my last summer of college let me figure out which full-time opportunities I wanted to explore.

Do you have any advice for students completing internships in your field?

Be bold, be confident, and be ready to learn.