Reflecting on an Internship at Hawthorne

Six months ago, Hawthorne welcomed two new interns to the team: Joel and Aunna. Today they reflect on their experience since then and what it means to be a Hawthorne Intern.  

From Joel Reyes: 

Joel is a graduating senior at Northwestern University with a B.A. in Economics. 

My time with Hawthorne Strategy Group has gone by in the blink of an eye! These past 5 months have pushed me in more ways than one, and I’ve come out the other side with invaluable experiences and new skills.  

I first started this internship focused on transforming my previous marketing and strategy experiences into public relations. Hawthorne created an environment that allowed me to learn without fear, crafting press releases and competitor analyses with quick turnaround times. Rather than just letting me sit and observe the team in action, I was fully integrated into the work, helping clients achieve their goals in real time. 

Some of the incredible highlights include helping create reporter briefs for Choose Chicago’s new CEO announcement. Leaving my first meeting on Monday morning in mid-April, I was tasked with creating 7 reporter profiles for the new Choose Chicago CEO and her team to use during her interviews with huge publications like the Chicago Tribune and Trade Show Executive. It was a cool exercise to dive into the point of view of a reporter and publication to anticipate what "hardball" questions they may ask. Additionally, getting to meet the CEO later in the week was a great example of seeing my work in its full life cycle, from first drafts all the way to the literal hands of the client. I got to use this new writing style again a couple weeks later for the Metropolitan Pier Exposition Authority. This time, I got to build out a profile for a writer for the New York Times, interested in showcasing McCormick Place’s recently installed bird film for a national series on environmental fixes throughout the country. 

Another great learning opportunity came from an account lead being out for a couple of weeks, where I got to work with the DuSable Museum as the primary contact. From coordinating daily social media content with the Education and Programs team to sending out an email blast to promote a new exhibition, the team's trust in me to keep projects moving forward was something I didn’t take for granted. 

I’m leaving this internship with such gratitude for Hawthorne, taking a chance on me to try something completely new. I’ve tried to make it a point to learn as many new skills as a young professional and to dive into as many industries as I can, and Hawthorne truly allowed me to do that. While I’ve still got so much more learning to do, this dip into public relations showed me the magic and fulfillment of supporting clients who are doing good for their communities and beyond. 

I’m excited to take the lessons and skills I’ve built and improved at Hawthorne to wherever the future takes me! 

From Aunna Beranek: 

Aunna is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago and has a M.A. in Strategic Communication and a B.A. in English.  

When I reflected on my onboarding experience, I spoke to the welcoming nature of the Hawthorne team. As my internship comes to a close, I’m pleased to say that nothing has changed.  

Hawthorne Strategy Group is a place where people uplift each other, both personally and professionally. I’ve gained hands-on experience through exciting new tasks, internal strategy sessions, and events out in the field that have tested my knowledge and expanded my skills in ways I didn’t know to expect. 

For example, in February, I attended the Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting, which drew more than 20,000 attendees from across the country and globe! In addition to supporting the team with operations for the three-day event, I also had the responsibility of handling Hadley, the CDS mascot. Hadley celebrated his 10th birthday at the Midwinter Meeting, which included a giant birthday party in the middle of the exhibit hall complete with cake pops and a visit from other prominent Chicago mascots, like DePaul’s DIBS and the Chicago White Sox’s Southpaw! As someone with a passion for events management, this experience was a real highlight in my internship and provided an opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes to pull off a successful event. 

I also had the opportunity to put together several media pitches for Solar Powers Illinois, an organization working to advance solar energy in the state. Though I never expected legislative communications to be a part of the job, I quickly learned the meaning of words like “legislative intent” and “HB / SB” (hint: it stands for House Bill and Senate Bill) while working to promote strong clean energy legislation in Illinois. By leveraging timely solar and clean energy observances like Earth Day and National Solar Appreciation Day, we were able to share the benefits of in-progress legislation with a larger audience on live television. Contributing to securing these media placements so early in my career is definitely an accomplishment I’ll be proud of for years to come.  

But it’s not just the big-ticket experiences that taught me valuable lessons; I learned a lot in the daily work at Hawthorne. From drafting talking points for media interviews to putting together social media calendars, it all comes together to further our clients’ goals. 

Public relations is all about being flexible and preparing to respond to whatever situation might arise. This kind of flexibility is an essential skill—and one that takes practice to learn. My time at Hawthorne Strategy Group introduced me to this ever-changing world and allowed me the opportunity to practice being flexible, so the next time an unexpected situation arises, I’ll be ready to take it in stride.  

Thank you, Hawthorne!