Students from schools across the country spent their summers here at Scholastic, in departments ranging from corporate communications to marketing to publicity to finance. I've been really impressed by this summer's group (some of them have even written for this blog! Thanks to Naomi Ducat, Imani Lawrence, Megan Magruder, Megan Greinder, Shea Kennedy, Rachel Gutman, and Emily Dowling!).
Before they headed back to school, we asked them a few questions about their experience. Here's what they had to say!
What's the most surprising thing about your Scholastic summer internship?
Emily Dowling (Digital Marketing intern; Colgate University): There’s so much more to digital marketing than I had originally thought! The most surprising thing for me was probably how many different parts go into creating an ad campaign and how ads are so closely tracked and personalized.
Rachel Gutman (Teachers site intern; Brown University): I started the summer thinking that only authors, editors, and agents have careers centered around reading, and that they were the most important elements of an organization like Scholastic. I quickly realized that there's a lot more to Scholastic than traditional book publishing, but what surprised me most was that all of the pieces that seem to have nothing to do with books, from marketing to social media management, still revolve around promoting children's literacy.
Megan Magruder (Parents and Kids site intern; Dickinson College): Even with all the technological advances of the past decade, kids are still avid readers and specifically seek out books for their own enjoyment. I loved getting to be a part of such an inspiring company that promotes the acculturation of knowledge through literacy initiatives. It was so rewarding to work with people who care about bettering society through education.
Beckett Woodworth (Scholastic Education marketing intern; La Salle University): The most surprising thing about Scholastic is its commitment to creativity and ingenuity in the workplace. As a first-time corporate intern, I was initially uneasy. I was, however, welcomed with open arms by Scholastic’s inventive energy and its passionate employees. No wonder why Scholastic is a consistent leader in children’s publishing – Scholastic is able to bring out the kid in you!
Naomi Ducat (Corporate Communications intern; Queens College): During my internship, I was pleasantly surprised by the cohesive collaboration between departments, and between employees within departments. This gave me a broader understanding of the publishing industry.
Can you name one book you've read as a direct result of working at Scholastic?
Rachel Gutman (Teachers site intern; Brown University): One of the greatest parts about working at Scholastic is that there are free books everywhere. Just by picking books off of tables around the building, I've re-immersed myself in young adult literature this summer, werewolves (Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater) and first kisses (The Killing Wood, Lucy Christopher) included. I also found out about and have begun reading Scholastic's Best Teen Writing series. It’s a great project that produces some really impressive work.
Megan Magruder (Parents and Kids site intern; Dickinson College): As a result of working at Scholastic, I chose to read The Hunger Games trilogy. I wanted to read the books that inspired the fantastic "Hunger Games" movies, and the books were so fun to read! One of the great things about working at Scholastic is getting books for free; I am really looking forward to reading through all the interesting books I’ve acquired this summer.
Beckett Woodworth (Scholastic Education marketing intern; La Salle University): I’m currently reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, a recommendation from one of my co-workers. The novel chronicles Sherman’s juvenile years as a Native American growing up in an all-white town, where the only other Native American is his school mascot. Sherman struggles with a variety of medical problems, bullies, and the tribulations of adolescence. He, against all odds, discovers strength inside of himself that he never knew existed. The book is absolutely inspiring, as Sherman is able to overcome his difficulties with his witty sense of humor and contagious optimism. My co-workers also recommended the Harry Potter series, since they gasped with horror when I told them I never read the books. Rest assured readers, The Sorcerer’s Stone is the latest book in my queue.
Emily Dowling (Digital Marketing intern; Colgate University): As a Digital Marketing intern, I am exposed to all of the advertisements that are placed on Scholastic websites. While I am tracking the revenue and success of these ads, I see the titles that are being advertised by Scholastic. One title that stuck out to me was Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee that I saw on a pre-order advertisement for the book. I bought a copy and am excited to finish it!
Naomi Ducat (Corporate Communications intern; Queens College): I was introduced to The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson during the intern workshop sessions held throughout the summer. This was a fitting selection for an eager group of interns, as Johansson discusses the importance of combining different domains of study and areas of interest, tapping into our creativity, finding our niche, and through this, innovating. I took this as an instructional hint and explored different areas of the company, including publicity and international communications. Thank for the book suggestion, Scholastic!
Thanks again to this great group of summer interns, many of whom are off to exciting adventures this fall, from studying abroad in Dublin and Rome to staying at home to become resident advisors and perform their elected duties in their school's government associations. We hope you had a great summer with us!
