Intern Spotlight: Fall 2019

Read our Q&A with Hirons’ latest round of interns to hear about their previous experiences, and why they chose Hirons.

SOPHIE FLEETWOOD, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT INTERN

What college do/did you attend and what is your major?

I am a senior at Butler University studying marketing and will be finishing a semester early, as I graduate in December of this year.

Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?

I wanted to dive head first into the world of advertising and experience agency life! I have a passion for advertising and all of the work that goes into catering the needs of clients and I’m thankful for this opportunity to learn from true professionals. From my first interaction with Hirons, I have been so impressed with the company culture and the quality of work, as well as the kindness that each person I have met at Hirons has shown me.

What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?

I would love to add professional writing samples to my portfolio and I am hopeful that this internship will give me the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of advertising. I also expect to learn how to give the best possible experience to existing and future clients.

What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?

In the past, I worked several years within the wedding industry where I was tasked with running social media, writing, building a website, and working on collaborations and brand partnerships. Additionally, I have recently gained experience in an editorial setting with a local women’s magazine in which I was responsible for social media management, writing the copy for some of the articles in the magazine and styling photo shoots.

What kind of life experience do you bring to us?

I have lived in the Indianapolis area my entire life. Born and raised here, I am familiar with a lot of local clientele and I am accustomed to the culture and traditions of Indianapolis. I have always been a creative thinker and passionate about writing and design. My passions have translated into my desire to have a career within an advertising agency where those passions can be utilized to create campaigns and help clients. Although I have a creative thinking process, as a marketing major within the Lacy School of Business at Butler University, I have learned to approach creativity with a business mindset.

What are your first impressions of Hirons?

Hirons has made a lasting impression on me ever since I was first exposed to this company at a career fair. After my first day at the office, I was quickly blown away by how welcoming everyone is and how kind the owners at Hirons are. I am also very impressed by the company culture and the camaraderie that the office seems to have. I’m looking forward to getting to know the people here and having the opportunity to learn from them. It was clear from day one that there is a lot of talent and intelligence in this office!

Fun facts about yourself:

Love it or hate it, I’m a fan of country music!

Before deciding on marketing, I originally planned to study psychology at Butler and quickly switched to exploratory business a couple of weeks prior to the first day of classes.

Florida is a second home to me!

I’m deathly allergic to cashews and pistachios. Yikes!

TATE JONES, COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT INTERN

What college do/did you attend and what is your major?

I’m attending the University of Indianapolis (UIndy) as a junior. My majors are in communication with an emphasis in public relations, and international relations.

Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?

When I was looking for internships, I wanted to find an organization that would allow me to wear many different hats. One of my friends told me about her experience at Hirons and from there I knew that it was the perfect place for me.

What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?

More than anything, I hope to come out with the necessary experience to put me far above other applicants in my career. Agencies are known for their fast-pace and I want to learn to excel in that environment.

What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?

A majority of my work-related experience comes from my student-run newspaper and PR agency at UIndy. Before even getting my first internship at Hirons, I already had experience with the media, client work and client interaction.

What kind of life experience do you bring to us?

My first job at 18 was as a bank teller. Since then, all positions that I have worked in have been customer service-related or customer-forward. I can sense how bad someone’s day has been by a glance and know exactly how to make them better.

What are your first impressions of Hirons?

Hirons really knows how to make interns feel like employees. On day one, I already had days of meetings planned ahead of time. I felt like I was an important part of the process before anyone even knew my name.

Fun facts about yourself:

At my family’s home, we have four dogs: three pit bulls and one beagle. They outnumber the people currently living there.

TADD IRVEN, DESIGN INTERN

What college do/did you attend and what is your major?

I recently got my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ball State University, with a concentration in visual communications and a minor in screenwriting.

Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?

I am very interested in branding and advertising, so Hirons seemed like a perfect fit. I also noticed they hire dogs which means it’s an inclusive company.

What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?

I would like to learn more about the work flow of a creative environment and add some pieces to my portfolio.

What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?

I’ve done various freelance projects – mostly for government agencies – including advertisements, infographics and branding updates.

What kind of life experience do you bring to us?

I have been alive for 23 years and still going. People who aren’t alive tend to not be very good designers, so I use that to my advantage.

What are your first impressions of Hirons?

It’s a good combination of a casual but productive work environment. It’s also nicely loaded with free food and drinks.

Fun facts about yourself:

I’ve had thirteen teeth pulled.

I am quite the decent juggler.

My eye color is #4F7DBF, but others have told me it looks more like a #3E71B8.

SUNNY KING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INTERN

What college do/did you attend and what is your major?

Ball State University, Advertising

Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?

I chose Hirons because it is one of the best when it comes to advertising agencies. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the drive for excellence and the knowledge that I will get a lot of valuable experience here. I knew it would make me a better professional and would grow my network.

What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?

I hope to accomplish real, tangible work that both Hirons and I can be proud of. I hope to grow my portfolio and my perspective. I want to really work on social media and grow overall as a professional in the agency world. I hope that this will give me direction to the future of my career.

What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?

I have had three internships that have helped me on my way here. My freshman year I had an internship with Amnesty International with researching and establishing an e-archive of Urgent Action cases dating all the way back to the 1970s. My sophomore year I began working through the McKinley Avenue Agency at Ball State and have been there for two years. In my time there, I worked my way up through the Development Group, to being an account manager/sales executive, to being a public relations/promotions associate. Lastly, I had a public relations internship the fall of last year with Feed My Sheep, which is a non-profit that helps the Muncie Community.

What kind of life experience do you bring to us?

I’m very much a person who is internally an 80 year old, even though I’m 21 years old. I created and directed a 6-12 color guard for the last three years, which is the one thing that has really changed me fundamentally. With being a director, you learn to see from a new perspective – how to adapt, how to create, and how to collaborate. It taught me how to be even more assertive and empathetic at the same time.

I’m a musician, with a lot of different experiences, but I think this allows me to be kind, to have an open mind and heart, and gives me the drive to make the world a better place.

What are your first impressions of Hirons?

I’ve been in agency life before, but this is impressive. I love how dedicated and helpful everyone is. It’s so quiet all the time because of how deep into their work everyone is; they genuinely care about their clients and what they’re doing. Everyone is super kind and great at what they do – it’s an honor to be working with them. I also love the aesthetics of the office; it’s very modern, which makes it a great place to work.

Fun facts about yourself:

I have a half corgi/half terrier named Queenie who is named after the band Queen.

I have something authentically signed by Freddie Mercury.

I can play about eight instruments, take vocal lessons and write music in my spare time.

I write a lot of poetry and am currently working on a book and visual component.

NINA SOOD, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INTERN

What college do/did you attend and what is your major?

I am a senior at Butler University studying strategic communication and digital media production.

Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?

I had met some people who interned for Hirons in the past who had nothing but good things to say! From the overall work environment to the type of experience they received, Hirons did a great job in preparing them for a future career, and I hope to gain a similar experience.

What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?

I hope to learn how an external agency works with and manages all of their clients. Specifically, as a business development intern, I hope to see a project start to finish, meaning bringing on a new client, and seeing them through to reach their goals.

What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?

I have been running social media and general communication strategies for a small business in downtown Indy for a while now. From scheduling posts to creating email campaigns, I’ve have been able to apply my writing, creative and digital knowledge to the real world, while learning the constantly-changing world of communications.

What kind of life experience do you bring to us?

I have learned how to be a good leader and team player by being in numerous clubs at Butler. I’m also very good at time management and organization, which are skills that were taught to me by my parents.

What are your first impressions of Hirons?

The office is amazing and the people are so friendly and accomplished!

Fun facts about yourself:

I started a travel blog in high school that is still up and running and has allowed me to connect with some pretty cool people all over the world!

I enjoy rock climbing and being outdoors, preferably with my dog.

RAYLIN TAYLOR, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT INTERN

What college do/did you attend and what is your major?

Ball State University and Public Relations

Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?

I chose Hirons because it is the perfect agency to gain experience in multiple industries. When doing research on the website, I learned that Hirons works with all types of clients. I want to become well-versed in everything related to public relations and Hirons has those opportunities available.

What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?

I hope to gain experience while impressing those around me with my work.

What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?

I was a public relations intern for the Ball State University Housing and Residence Life Department. I was a resident assistant at Ball State University as well. Currently I am a PR representative for J. Lee Speaks.

What kind of life experience do you bring to us?

I am a creative person that is really good at projecting my ideas. I have spent time creating my own brand, 90Centre, where I served as a blogger, event planner and promoter. I have experience with audio and video as well. Having these skills has allowed me to make many connections and complete almost any task asked of me.

What are your first impressions of Hirons?

When I first heard of Hirons, I was very interested because it is a public relations agency in my hometown. I was told that many Ball State graduates worked at Hirons, so I became even more interested. After visiting Hirons for my interview, I became very excited. The agency’s environment and job description was everything I imagined it to be.

Fun facts about yourself:

I have created an online media source called 90Centre.

I was once a Resident Assistant.

I am graduating early this December.