Two exceptional interns join EDC staff for summer

June 16, 2016

The Tampa Hillsborough EDC offices are happy to welcome two interns this summer in the Business Development and Marketing and Communications departments. Alexia Rotberg, a recent graduate of the University South Florida, has been working with the Business Development team for several months, while Jake Van Loon, a senior at the University of Tampa, joined the Marketing and Communications team just over a month ago.

Rotberg, who earned a bachelor’s in economics from USF, has played an important role in helping the Business Development department learn more about businesses located in Hillsborough County. She has researched numerous companies in our area that have yet to use the EDC’s services. Rotberg has also tracked news on target companies as well as C-suite level executives, while assisting with outreach.

“Tampa is a city full of potential,” said Rotberg about her hometown. “As a diehard Tampa Bay Rays fan, I’m conditioned to root for the underdog. Most are looking at Texas or California and their booming economies, but you can’t help but get excited about Tampa’s future. We have a lot going on here.”

Working toward two bachelor’s degrees in business entrepreneurship and English and writing at UT, Van Loon came to Tampa from New England. He knew he wanted a Florida school in an urban setting and found that UT was a perfect fit for him.

In just over a month with the Marketing and Communications team, Van Loon has assisted the team with photography, writing, social media, as well as research needs. He has been working with the research team to learn more about vital studies and reports, like the Cost of Living study done quarterly.

“I love all that Tampa has to offer, especially in SoHo, Ybor City, and the downtown district. I love that I can be in the city one minute and out on my paddleboard in the middle of Tampa Bay the next,” said Van Loon. “It’s been fascinating to see all that goes into marketing Tampa and Hillsborough County as a great place to live, work, and play.”

Van Loon is finishing up his senior year at UT, and he hopes to either go back to South America or possibly even join the Navy. Rotberg is awaiting admission into USF’s Urban and Regional Planning Graduate Program, and she hopes to stay in the Tampa area.