Creating a Buzz at Wolfpack Learning

Ava Shea

Internship Reflection - Fall 2024

My internship experience with Wolfpack Learning at Stony Brook University has been both enlightening and informative. Although I’m pursuing a career in broadcast journalism, this experience has equipped me with an incredible range of skills that I plan to carry into my future endeavors.

As a marketing and development Intern, my main focus was to build Wolfpack Learning’s social media presence while maintaining strong relationships with our audience and attracting new users. While marketing may seem far removed from journalism, this role allowed me to explore new areas within my skill set, areas I now realize could complement my future work as a journalist. I’ve strengthened my professional communication, gained a deeper understanding of branding and business practices, and learned how to present myself confidently in collaborative spaces.

From the beginning, I was involved in projects that focused on expanding Wolfpack Learning’s brand. After an initial meeting outlining my responsibilities, I got to work establishing our social media presence to start attracting users. I designed a logo and hero image using Adobe Photoshop, keeping the brand’s font and color scheme consistent. I also came up with the company slogan, “Unleash Your Potential,” which reflects both our wolf-themed branding and our mission to support adult learners. I created bios for our Instagram and YouTube accounts, built a Linktree with essential company links, and designed an introductory post using Canva to explain how to register for our learning management system, BizLibrary.

Because video content is a major part of our outreach strategy, I developed a training video on the Hawthorne Effect using Canva and Adobe. It was tailored to managers, focusing on how this psychological phenomenon can improve workplace productivity. I also created a short video on the Japanese idiom oubaitori, which connects to spring and the cherry blossom season, emphasizing cultural nuance and learning. Both videos are now featured on our YouTube channel and will be used in future Wolfpack Learning training sessions.

One of the projects I’m proudest of is a newsletter series I initiated. I pitched the idea of a frequent newsletter that poses a business-related question inspired by pop culture, offers relevant analysis, and recommends BizLibrary courses. My first piece, titled “Main Character: Owning Your Leadership Role,” was well-received and posted to Instagram. Since then, I’ve written several more, including an upcoming one that connects lessons from the Roth Regatta toleadership in the business world.

Recently, I’ve also been developing Gmail templates to enhance our outreach emails’ visual appeal, a skill I’m excited to grow further. Outside of content creation, I contribute to business communications by proofreading and writing our monthly cultural email updates. After suggesting ways to make our emails shorter and more user-friendly, I was given more responsibility in this area. I also manage our Instagram Stories, posting updates about training sessions and team news.

This internship has helped me grow not just as a content creator but also as a communicator, collaborator, and thinker. I’ve become more confident in pitching ideas, navigating feedback, and speaking up during meetings. I've also significantly improved my skills in Canva, Adobe, and professional writing, especially when it comes to drafting engaging emails and structuring social media copy.Overall, this has been a deeply rewarding experience. I’m grateful to the Wolfpack Learning team for trusting me with creative freedom and providing a supportive environment where I could learn and grow and for also teaching me that work environments can be fun. Even though this wasn’t a journalism internship, it showed me how my background in storytelling and communication can be applied to a wide range of industries, and how many opportunities exist beyond the traditional path.