Meet our summer interns!
July 22, 2015
If you stop by the EDC this summer, you’ll likely see some new faces in the office. We’ve been lucky to find three talented interns to support our team, and their contributions are already making a difference. USF student Casper Yen has been shooting superb photographs all over Tampa and enhancing the Marketing and Communications department’s social media program, while Penn State student Aaron Keaton and recent USF master’s degree recipient Simone King have been doing vital research for the Business Development team.
Michelle Bauer, the EDC’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, connected with Casper, Simone, and Aaron at a recent CareerSource Tampa Bay intern mixer in May that put local students and recent graduates in touch with companies looking to give them experiential learning opportunities.
Our Communications Coordinator, Jessica Pajak, sat down with Casper, Simone and Aaron to learn more about them and their respective assignments.
Casper is working toward his degree in communications with a concentration in organizational communications and a minor in leadership studies.
What are your primary tasks as an intern at the EDC?
My work has been focused on helping to manage and create digital content for EDC’s social media outlets while also assessing current social media initiatives. I have been busy taking photos of our office and some of Tampa’s most distinctive people and places.
What attracted you to working for the EDC?
The downtown Tampa environment and the job duties matched exactly what I want to do in the future. Plus, the EDC’s role in economic development in the Tampa Bay area is something I want to be a part of.
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Going into his senior year this fall, Aaron Keaton is studying Energy Business and Finance at Penn State. During his time with the Business Development team, he has assisted with our corporate headquarters initiative, researching and creating profiles on companies that may fit in Tampa and Hillsborough County.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
I hope to gain real world experience in a professional environment in order to help prepare me for the business world after graduation. I also hope to contribute as much as possible to the company to help further its mission of attracting a corporate headquarters to Hillsborough County.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned during your internship so far?
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Jumping into a new work environment can be intimidating when everyone else is accustomed to their work and the way things are done. However, the only way to learn is to ask questions no matter how trivial they might seem.
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Simone King, a recent graduate of USF, earned her master’s degree in marketing. Like Aaron, Simone assists with the research needs of the Business Development team.
What attracted you to working at the EDC?
I didn’t know much about economic development or what it entailed, but after learning more about it through my research and meeting the team, I was sold!
What’s the most significant lesson you’ve learned during your internship so far?
I have learned how important it is to ask for assistance. I am the type of person that does not like to ask for help. However, I see that we are all here working toward one goal. We are all parts of one organizational body. We need to all work together to flourish and help one another achieve success. I appreciate the working and learning environment that has been established at the EDC.
We look forward to having Casper, Aaron, and Simone on board for the next few weeks and seeing all that they can bring to our team. For more information on how to secure interns for your business, please visit https://tampabayintern.com/.
