Farewell from the Curator Summer Interns!

Now that Seattleites have finally had a taste of the warm weather and summer quarter has come to a close, the Curator team is saying farewell to our fantastic summer interns, Amy Warmenhoven and Ana Lanzara. Although this summer was different than most, we are so grateful for our interns and all of their hard work this quarter. We sat down with Ana and Amy to get some final thoughts on their time at Curator before they head back to school.

What was your internship experience like overall?  

 Curator has been the most influential experience I have had so far in my PR education. This internship was my first real exposure to agency PR, and while that was a bit intimidating at first, I quickly found out that this team was focused on helping me succeed. The team allowed me to grow and learn from them in a very welcoming and supportive way. I was able to use skills that I learned in the classroom and apply them to real-world scenarios while still having the freedom to offer my own creative ideas. Even throughout challenging assignments where I wasn’t too confident in my skills, I was encouraged to tackle it head-on and not be afraid of making mistakes along the way.

Each week I was met with a new opportunity to learn and improve. I was able to work on a variety of assignments that set a strong foundation for my PR knowledge. Overall, I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity, especially during this unpredictable summer. - Ana

How was it working remotely?

As surprising as it may sound, I believe working from home helped me to become more independent. Although I could always send a quick email asking any questions, I enjoyed pushing myself to figure out projects or solving any technical difficulties that I ran into. The team was always conscious of sending detailed and easy-to-follow instructions, which made my experience working from home very smooth. We would have team check-ins every day along with the occasional Zoom lunch-in or trivia hour. These virtual calls made me feel so comfortable with the team and made my overall remote internship one for the books. - Amy

What are some of the most important lessons or skills you learned from interning here?  

The biggest eye-opening lesson that I learned during my internship was the amount of time and attention to detail that it takes to successfully complete a ‘client-ready’ project from start to finish. I learned that taking the extra time to review and edit a project pays off in the end. Not only does it show a sense of professionalism, but also it made me proud to know I gave that assignment my all. Throughout this process, I learned the importance of asking questions and setting goals and expectations for myself. - Ana

What was your favorite part about interning at Curator?

I loved the lifestyle-based clients that Curator works with. Being able to do projects for companies that I found interesting made the work enjoyable. I really felt like I was making an impact, which was special as an intern to have mentors that trust you to work on projects that directly benefit the client. - Amy

What was your favorite project that you worked on during your internship?

Everything I did for the Seattle Fire Foundation was my favorite. At the beginning of the internship, I created a fact sheet for the foundation, where I learned more about the foundation and the goal that they are trying to accomplish. I immediately felt inspired to work with this unique client. Since then, I was able to help with some of their social media posts and participate in research projects. At the end of my internship, I got to visit several Seattle fire stations and meet these fascinating people while learning more about their mission. It was very moving to see the results that come out of the work we did. Experiencing the relationship that Curator has with their clients made me excited to do more of this work in the future. - Ana

What will you miss about interning at Curator? 

I will miss the people the most and being a part of such a passionate team. They all made this quarantine summer a lot better than when it started, that’s for sure! I’ll miss the relationships that I made with the Curator team, but I know these connections will continue throughout my career. Every person on the team taught me a valuable lesson that I will take with me. And of course, I’ll miss the spirited WSU and UW rivalry we had! - Ana

Do you have any advice for future interns? 

Be yourself and always put your best foot forward. You will realize how many connections you can make through the PR world, so always do your best. The team is extremely helpful when it comes to advice, guidance, and making connections. Don’t be afraid to learn about your mentors' careers and gain experience in talking to professionals. If you represent yourself as a hard worker while letting your personality shine, you will go far! - Amy

The Curator team has had a blast working with Ana and Amy these past couple of months. While we are sad to see them leave, we look forward to seeing them finish their senior years and all the amazing things they will do afterward. Thank you both!