Our Summer Interns Reflect on Joining the Hawthorne Team

From Tyler Alexander: 

Tyler is a recent graduate from the George Washington University with a B.A in Political Communications.

The world can be a cruel place for the humble intern.  

In too many cases, interns are treated like temp workers rather than apprentices in an industry. They’re given too much or too little work, or kept out of the loop of important business. It’s easy for a workplace to leave interns to their own devices, rather than teach the next generation of professionals.

Not once in my time at Hawthorne have I ever been treated as less than a full member of the team. 

What I’ve been most impressed by at Hawthorne is just how much meaningful work I’ve been given. The Hawthorne team treats its interns with respect. They respect your abilities as an employee, and give you ample opportunity to grow and assume more responsibilities. At Hawthorne, interns aren’t just an obligatory position to fill every season: They’re valued employees who bring their own strengths and perspectives to the table.  

I’ve really enjoyed the clients I’ve gotten to work with. My favorite so far is Solar Powers Illinois (SPI), a coalition advocating for solar energy and battery storage in Illinois. This summer with SPI has been quite adventurous: Just after I joined this account, historic energy price increases hit families and businesses. Work on this account quickly transitioned from spreading awareness about the benefits of solar and energy storage to advocating for clean energy legislation that will help lower costs over time. 

As soon as the new direction of the SPI account was set, I began attending client meetings and creating deliverables such as one-pagers, media pitches, and email newsletters. I am as involved as a full-time employee, not kept at arms-length by virtue of my status as an intern. 

The Hawthorne team brings an incredible amount of professionalism to everything they do. Nothing is sent to a client unless it is top-quality work. Other members of the team are always ready to pitch in, be it with ideas, proofreading, or strategy. Though it’s a small team, I’ve really felt like I have the entire firm at my back when I approach a new challenge. I’ve appreciated the insights that the team has given me, and I genuinely believe that in the time I’ve been at Hawthorne, my skills have improved.  

I am thankful for my experience so far. The confidence and respect that Hawthorne has placed in me as an intern has been extremely gratifying. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my internship will bring, and though it may be unexpected, Hawthorne will make sure that I am never unprepared. 

From Denise Sanchez:

Denise is a recent graduate from Northwestern University with a B.A in Communication.

As I approached my college graduation, I was filled with uncertainty about what the future would hold once I crossed the stage. While I enjoyed my final days with friends and took in the beauty of Northwestern University’s campus, I also spent countless hours anxiously browsing job boards, eager to find the right opportunity to launch my professional journey.  One day I came across an internship opportunity at Hawthorne, and I fell into a rabbit hole browsing the company website, reading case study after case study, exploring the company blogs, and reading employee bios. Hawthorne checked all the boxes for what I was looking for in a workplace.  

During the interview process, I could immediately sense the positive and collaborative work environment.  

Next thing you know, I was preparing for the first day of my internship. During my first day in the office, I immediately felt welcomed by the team and grew comfortable with my surroundings – something that I often struggled with in my past internships.  

I have already learned a great deal about the public relations field and the day-to-day operations of a PR agency. The minute I arrived at Hawthorne, I was given real responsibilities and started doing client work immediately, including writing press releases on a range of topics, compiling and analyzing media reports, and becoming familiar with essential industry tools, such as Muck Rack. I also assisted in preparing client presentations, participated in brainstorming sessions to develop campaign strategies, and managed internal communications to keep project updates current. Additionally, I  had the opportunity to attend a day-long meeting at McCormick Place, which gave me firsthand insight into how client meetings are conducted and how agency recommendations are presented.   

One highlight has been working with the Big Shoulders Fund (BSF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting quality education for under-resourced students in Chicago. As someone who grew up in a low-income neighborhood myself, I deeply resonated with their mission and have long admired the impactful work they do to empower students and families throughout the city.  

Recently, I had the privilege of writing a series of press releases for the BSF STEM Scholars program, which provides scholarships and mentorship opportunities to high-achieving high school students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through this project, I was able to learn about several local students and document their post-graduate accomplishments. Many of these students were the first in their families to attend college, and their journeys were filled with perseverance and ambition.  

Helping BSF share these remarkable students’ stories had a profound impact on me. I was truly moved by their dedication and achievements, and the impact BSF had on their lives, especially when I learned some students from the program had been accepted into prestigious universities such as Harvard and Brown.  

I have already learned a great deal during my internship at Hawthorne, participating in hands-on client work and learning how to approach different projects and tasks. This internship has provided me with valuable insights into the PR world, and I am eager to continue learning and developing my skills.