Q&A Spotlight: Kristen Coffey

Name: Kristen Coffey

Graduation Year: 2015

Major: Mass Communications Major with Tracks in Public Relations and Advertising as well as Minors in Business Administration and Marketing

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Program: TU Dublin Summer Internship Program

Q: You decided to pursue an internship abroad, how did you choose between studying and interning?

I wanted internship experience in my field different than my previous internships.  As a senior, I thought it would be beneficial to expand my professional skills and experience by interning in another country.  By interning in another country, not only did I get valuable work experience and expand my skill set, but I also experienced another culture. 

Q: Did your internship meet your expectations in terms of work and office experience?

Yes!  I loved my marketing internship with The Helix.  Dublin is very similar to the United States in terms of work and office experience.  The work days and hours were the same, as I worked full time Monday through Friday.  The workplace culture varies in each workplace, and I found it very easy to fit in and become a part of my workplace culture.  Marketing is a global industry and is used all over the world so I enjoyed learning how The Helix markets itself as not only a theatre, but a conference and events venue as well.

Q: Did you have any unique, challenging or surprising days on the job?

I did have the chance to attend the Data Driven Marketing Alliance’s Facebook Marketing Summit Europe.  At this event, I attended two days of presentations on new ways to use social media to market your company as well as learned about various global companies that help track the performance of a social media campaign.  As the world becomes more connected via the internet and mobile, many companies are shifting in that direction to reach its consumers.

Q: You obviously got to play and travel a bit, too! What was the best part about being based in Dublin?

Being based in Dublin, it was very easy to travel into the City Center and explore everything the city had to offer.  Dublin is a huge city with so many historical landmarks and places to visit.  It was fun to do the touristy things like the Guinness Storehouse Tour, the Jameson Distillery Tour, see the Dublin Castle, walk around St. Stephen’s Green, and do lots of shopping on Grafton Street. It was also very easy to travel to other parts of Ireland from Dublin.  I spent every weekend either exploring the city of Dublin or visiting other parts of Ireland to see as much of the country as I possibly could!

Q: Will this internship experience contribute to your future career goals? How?

This internship experience definitely contributes to my future career goals.  From this experience, I have been exposed to a new side of my field that I had not previously interned with.  My eyes were opened to the various opportunities and careers available to me as a Mass Communications major.  I learned a lot of new skills that I can bring with me to future internships and careers.

Q: Feel to add any parting words about your experience as an intern!

Interning abroad was the best way to spend seven weeks of my summer!  I had an amazing experience learning about my field of study in another country and being immersed into a culture different than my own.  I loved interacting with the locals and learning about their career goals.  It was nice to be interacting and working with people who share the same passion for the mass communications and marketing industries.  I loved having weekends free to explore Ireland and take as much as I could in!