2017 2017: Samantha Gottlich: learning on the job through multiple internships

A dream job in social media or digital marketing is what has driven marketing major Samantha Gottlich to participate in three internships so far: at MindMax LLC, Honey Dew Donuts, and, currently, at New York Life's Boston area corporate headquarters in Waltham.

A Dean's List student who decided to transfer to UMassD for the flexibility of its course schedule, Samantha is on track to graduate a year early, in spring 2018.

The skills she's learned on the job are impressive: creating social media and marketing plans, conducting competitor analysis, administering social media accounts; creating tweets and posts, and moving into the areas of management and human resources.

"My first internship, at MindMax, was a shift from doing volunteer marketing toward being a paid, professional marketer," she said.

Then, using social media to broadcast her interest in an internship in the coffee industry, Samantha caught the eye of Honey Dew Donuts' community manager, who checked out her online presence.

"Honey Dew was looking for a fall intern, and I was hired over the phone the next day," she said.

My dream is to be hired by Facebook, Google, Snapchat, or Taco Bell in California or by the Food Network, in any of their locations.

Experience in sustainability & corporate responsibility

Tapping into her minor in sustainability, Samantha created a sustainability campaign pitch for Honey Dew—and continued to hone her skills in social media marketing plans, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  

"The internship allowed me to strengthen my social media marketing skills as well as gain skills in graphic design and photography," she said. "I was also able to pursue another avenue, sustainability and corporate responsibility. This experience strengthened my credibility as a social media marketer and added value to my resume."

In her current internship at New York Life, Samantha assists financial advisors and managers with both social media and traditional marketing.

"Like Honey Dew, this internship adds to my credibility and allows me to explore management and human resources, two fields I have yet to experience. I can demonstrate my talents not only in marketing but in management and HR, too."

Samantha plans to continue her internship with New York Life over the summer.

"I'm taking 7 classes this semester, 7 in the fall, and 7 in the spring and plan to graduate next spring, a year early," she said.

Dream job in social media marketing

"My dream is to be hired by Facebook, Google, Snapchat, or Taco Bell in California or by the Food Network, in any of their locations, and move during the summer. I want to work as a social media marketer or on a digital marketing team."

Samantha has also pursued her interest in promotional and commercial modeling, and is currently signed by Donahue Models.

On campus, she's been active with the Green Navigators and UMassD's Sustainability Initiatives: "It's a great team, and it lets me combine my major and my minor with work-study."

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