Waisze, MM ’17, is a senior at Columbia University and completed an internship with NBCUniversal’s Corporate Social Responsibility department over the summer. We caught up with her to learn about her experience, and what advice she’d give to future NBCU interns.
Minds Matter is also proud to have been partnering with NBCU CSR since 2019 to bring a four-day Media Fellowship to ~40 current Minds Matter students.
Q: How did you hear about this internship?
Waisze: I saw it posted on Minds Matter Connect, Minds Matter’s new social media platform for alumni across MM chapters nationwide.
Q: What made you want to apply to the internship?
Waisze: I have always been curious about the media industry because it’s a relevant industry with relatable content. As an engineering student, I don’t gain as much exposure in marketing and communications as much as I would like to. So, when I first heard about NBCUniversal’s internship opportunity with the Corporate Social Responsibility team, I knew I would gain experience in partnerships, marketing, communications, and the nonprofit world. This was also an opportunity to learn how corporations give back to the community.
Q: What kinds of projects did you work on?
Waisze: We worked on a lot of projects ranging from analyzing charitable giving to planning volunteer events for a season. The most exciting project I worked on this summer was our new initiative called Summer of Service. This was a virtual volunteering effort, created in the hopes of increasing employee engagement and giving back. We were in touch with many of our nonprofit partners, and collaborated with them to host events that benefited their causes.
Q: What was the coolest part of the experience?
Waisze: Getting to know my team, the pages (recent graduates doing rotations through various departments at NBCU), and the other interns. The CSR team is small, so I was able to work closely and bond with my manager and the rest of the team. In addition, since this internship is virtual, I was able to chat with interns and professionals from different locations and teams. I learned a lot from them, all while having lots of fun!
Q: Tell us something you learned
Waisze: I learned how to effectively engage with our nonprofit partners and understand the works behind creating a successful communications plan. I also have a better understanding of NBCUniversal’s structure and the media industry as a whole.
Q: What advice would you give to another Minds Matter alum thinking of doing the same internship?
Waisze: Be curious and do reach out to people to learn more! The internship will end sooner than you think, so make the most of it.