Read our Q&A with Hirons’ latest round of interns to hear about their previous experiences, and why they chose Hirons.
Name: Emily Kucala
Internship Title: Creative Intern
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I attended Florida State University and graduated in December with a B.S. in Advertising.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
I was looking for a new opportunity in a new city and not only did Hirons provide that, they also do a ton of work with nonprofits which matters a lot to me.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
While here I hope to refine my graphic design skills and create work that not only I can be proud of but that Hirons is also proud to use.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
While I was in college I did a marketing internship with a local humane society, an internship with Taproot Agency, a marketing agency in Tallahassee, and started as a graphic design intern with FSU Campus Recreation which then shifted into being the lead graphic designer my second semester with them.
After graduation I picked up as a freelance designer, and I have since worked with a variety of clients in the Orlando area doing everything from full company branding to redesigning medical forms.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
My dad was military, so I moved a lot as a younger child. This really instilled a love of travel in me. So as far as where home is, it’s technically Florida, but I’m definitely more rootless at this point.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
I love the variety of projects that I am getting a chance to work on.
Fun facts about yourself:
- I am a certified coffee addict, enough so that I run an Instagram dedicated exclusively to the places I get coffee (@coffeepastiche).
- Right before I started here I worked as an assistant stage manager for the opening ceremonies of the Warrior games and got to meet and work with Jon Stewart personally.
Name: Ben Bertsch
Internship title: Communications Management Assistant
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I attend Ball State University, where I major in advertising with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
I knew I wanted to get more agency experience, and I had heard great things about the Hirons internship program. I like to stand out from the crowd, so Hirons’ tagline, “Be Bold,” really stood out to me. I also have a competitive nature, which aligns with the company’s values to outthink, outwork and outperform. After speaking with an account coordinator at Hirons, I knew I had to apply.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
This summer at Hirons, I want to improve my copywriting skills and come away with at least four projects to add to my portfolio. I also hope to learn more about public relations in an agency setting, and more specifically, how strategy plays into it.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
At Ball State University, I’m an account coordinator with the university’s student-run strategic communications agency, Cardinal Communications. Last summer I had the opportunity to intern at Willow Marketing, a small agency in Indianapolis.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
I was raised in a small town, but I have big aspirations. I found my passion for advertising while visiting New York City, and ever since I’ve tried to immerse myself in the world of branding, advertising and public relations.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
Hirons is a welcoming environment where everyone is encouraged to grow their skills and get involved. Professionalism is expected, but so is fun.
Fun facts about yourself:
- My family owns a small ice cream, candy and coffee shop.
- I’m a big movie nerd. My favorite movie of all time is Good Will Hunting.
- I probably know more about Star Wars than you.
- I love Walt Disney World.
- I hate ice skating, or any type of skating for that matter.
Name: Taylor Dawson
Internship title: Communications Management Intern
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I will be a senior in the fall at Olivet Nazarene University double majoring in Marketing and Graphic Design.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
Some of my previous internships were clients of Hirons, and I was interested in entering the ad agency setting. The marketing materials Hirons produces has impressed me from the beginning so when I began to notice their involvement in the Indianapolis community and non-profit organizations I knew it was a place I wanted to be a part of.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
My main goal is to improve my understanding of the process that takes place in an ad agency campaign from creation to implementation. I want to be stretched in my communication skills and gain exposure to public relations because I have been in more creative roles previously.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
I was a creative services intern at the Indiana Electric Cooperatives last summer and I currently work as the executive officer for graphic design under a student government organization at Olivet. I have a varied background from creative programs, customer service, sales roles and even content creation. I find a way to do whatever task I’m given, and that’s what has made my background so diverse.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
I’ve lived in the Indianapolis area my whole life so I’m excited about the opportunity to invest in this community. My personality is one that is constantly looking to improve, so I’m hoping it is seen in the work I will bring to Hirons and the people I connect with.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
I first noticed how passionate everyone was about their work. I can tell the people in these roles want their work to have value to their clients and their community. Hirons also knows how to be adaptive and thorough. I can tell no task or request is too big for Hirons to accomplish.
Fun facts about yourself:
- Iced coffee is my beverage of choice, and my favorite drink is the iced butterscotch latte at Coat Check.
- I love nature documentaries and get excited about all things green.
- I enjoy attending small venue concerts and finding new music suggestions.
- I am a self-proclaimed Chick-fil-A Raving Fan.
- Some of my favorite people call me T-Dog.
Name: Dylan Peterson
Internship title: Administration Intern
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I am an incoming senior pursuing a major in international studies at Indiana University.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
Hirons does great crisis communications work, and I wanted the opportunity to learn from the best.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
I hope to learn more about the practice of crisis communications, as well familiarize myself with how a company like Hirons works in a larger sense.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
Previously I was an intern for the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, as well as a student ambassador for the Indiana Memorial Union Marketing Department. Both of these jobs gave me the opportunity to hone my writing skills, as well as create and execute social media strategies. As a Student Ambassador for the School of Global and International Studies at IU, I managed high level guest speakers such as state department officials and visiting dignitaries during conferences, but also developed interpersonal skills by meeting one on one with prospective students.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
Last year I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Berlin for a semester. Besides being a fantastic opportunity to see Europe, I learned how to deal with being out of my comfort zone. My dad works for the National Parks Service, so I have also grown up hiking and camping in parks throughout the US. While camping I often have to be resourceful in finding ways to even do simple things like cook and find good camping sites in the backcountry.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
Hirons seemed empty at first. However, I quickly realized that this is because most people are working together on the rooftop workspace. Working together has become a theme, and as an intern I really appreciate the approachability and friendliness that everyone here has with one another.
Fun facts about yourself:
- I am an avid Star Wars fan and really enjoy cooking.
Name: Mallory Dillon
Internship title: Business Development Intern
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I am going to be a senior at DePauw University this fall, and I am majoring in communication.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
I thrive in the fast-paced environment of agency life. It is a perfect match for my personality. Hirons is an extremely reputable agency in the Indianapolis area, and I figured it would be an amazing opportunity to learn from the intelligent individuals here and build on my agency experience.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
I am looking forward to a more thorough understanding of the business model within an agency. I have yet to be in a business development role, so I am hoping to soak up all that it has to offer! Pitching to prospective clients can be a very an exhilarating, rewarding experience, and I am very excited to be a part of the process.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
Last summer I had the opportunity to work at Susan G. Komen Central Indiana as a marketing and communications intern, where I got an in-depth look at the nonprofit industry. I spent last semester off-campus completing an internship with TrendyMinds, another agency downtown. I worked in the client services role and also got to help out with marketing services, web development and even video production. Getting a broad look at all things agency life is what made me totally fall in love with the industry.
At school, I am heavily involved in the campus radio station, 91.5 WGRE Your Sound Alternative. Being a Teacher’s Assistant and a DJ for the fourth-ranked college radio station in the country has been a blast and taught me a lot about management. Additionally, I have served as sports editor and a staff writer at the campus newspaper, The DePauw.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
Having played soccer my entire life, I am a lover of all things sports and activity related. Last year I had the amazing opportunity to spend part of my summer working with an organization called PeacePlayers International. PeacePlayers’ mission is to help bridge the divide in conflict resolution through the neutral sport of basketball. While in Belfast, I worked to bring together Protestant and Catholic children on opposite sides of deep-seeded religious and historical conflict. This experience was incredibly rewarding, and I learned just as much from the children as I did from the PeacePlayers staff!
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
They really know what they’re doing! From my first day I have been pulled into projects, and I’m doing real work for real clients. There is so much to learn from the employees here.
Fun facts about yourself:
- My first steps were backwards.
- I have the wimpiest taste buds, and I think literally everything (besides water) is spicy!
- I play soccer at DePauw University.
- I got an oil diffuser for Christmas and now I’m super into essential oils (highly recommend diffusing lavender and frankincense before bedtime).
- I love spending time outside. If you can’t find me, check the rooftop!
Name: Rachel Pope
Internship title: Digital Intern
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I am currently attending Indiana Wesleyan University, majoring in marketing with a specialization in digital advertising, promotions and branding. I will be graduating July 2018.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
I entered my freshman year of college as a business administration major and soon realized it wasn’t the right degree path for me. After months of struggling to find the perfect major, I met several individuals who couldn’t stop raving about Hirons.
After doing plenty of research, I realized that Hirons was exactly the type of company that I could see myself working for long-term. The innovative, fast-paced nature of the company is something that intrigued me as a potential employee.
Soon after, I changed my major to Marketing and hoped that one day I would get the opportunity to work at Hirons.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
Although I’ve had prior experience with Google Analytics, advertising, etc., I hope that I get the opportunity to improve those skills. I also hope I get the opportunity to learn more about different types of tools used for digital marketing.
Additionally, I am a born and raised Hoosier. I am tremendously proud of my home state, and how it continues to improve year after year. I believe that Hirons has played a large part in the growth of Indianapolis, and I hope to have the opportunity to continue to improve Indianapolis through my work at Hirons.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
During my sophomore year of college, I was fortunate enough to work at Ivy Tech Community College in its marketing and communications department. As a member of the Ivy Tech team, I got the opportunity to manage their statewide social media pages, develop over 10 marketing campaigns, design websliders/infographics using Adobe, produce several press releases, complete monthly analytics reports, as well as maintain the Ivy Tech website. After working as an intern for five months, they asked me to work as a part-time employee on their statewide marketing team.
While working at Ivy Tech for nearly two years, I was asked to join the Simon Youth Foundation team as its communications intern. In this position, I was given the opportunity to manage the foundation’s social media pages, complete analytics reports, design images using Adobe programs and assist in the planning of several fundraising/training events.
In December, I accepted a marketing and operations internship at the Indianapolis City Market. This position allowed me to manage the organization’s social media pages, help plan and implement various events and design event posters.
These internships gave me experience in email marketing, social media, graphic design, analytics, etc.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
While I was in high school, I made the transition from attending a public school to becoming a homeschool student. Although this was a difficult transition, it taught me how to properly manage my time. Additionally, last semester I worked 40 hours a week while taking 18 credit hours. Not only did this improve my time management skills, it also taught me that my success is dependent on how hard I work, and that I am capable of anything I set my mind to.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
Changing jobs can be intimidating, however, everyone at Hirons has been kind and welcoming thus far. Although I have only been here for a short amount of time, all members of the digital team have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and get to know me. Hirons has left a lasting impression on me because its innovative, kind and welcoming employees.
Fun facts about yourself:
- I have recently become obsessed with indoor plants. I probably have more than 20 different types of potted plants scattered around my house.
- Thirsty Scholar is my favorite coffee shop in Indianapolis.
- My parents always told me that “I never knew a stranger.” Whether I’m at a coffee shop, dog park or local restaurant, I can always start up a conversation.
- Last summer I thought it would be fun to start a new hobby, so I (sorta) started mountain biking. Every time I come back from a mountain biking adventure, I have a new injury. So, if you see me with a broken arm, that’s probably why.
- I have an obsession with dogs. Although I have the most adorable 2-year-old Weimaraner, I am always seeking the opportunity to say hi to every dog I meet.
Name: Jennie Ryder-O’Keefe
Internship title: Public Affairs Team Member
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
I am currently a senior at Indiana University in Bloomington with a major in advertising.
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
Hirons is a well-respected advertising agency Indianapolis with an impressive clientele. My last internship experience was with a company that predominately focused on video production, so I really wanted experience working in an agency environment.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
I really want to learn as much as I can from as many different people as possible. I feel like advertising is a field where observing others is the best way to truly understand how many different people and skill sets are required to transform an idea into something tangible.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
Last summer, I interned for a video production company where I did a great deal of logging, transcribing and editing video for promotional purposes. That was really my first “big girl job” and my only other job in the field of marketing.
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
I’ve always been an artistic and creative person, so I try to use those skills to come up with cool ideas whenever I can.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
So far, so good. Everyone is really kind and welcoming here—lots of dedicated and hard-working people. I’m a big fan of the working on the roof, too.
Fun facts about yourself:
- I spent my first year of college in Portland, Oregon. I plan to move back after I graduate.
- I’m a huge metalhead! I try to go to live shows as much as possible.
- I like to draw, sculpt and paint in my free time.
- I love horror movies!
- My role model is Tim Burton. I really admire his creativity!
Name: Matt Waweru
Internship Title: Amos Brown Intern
What college do/did you attend and what is your major?
Purdue University, Class of 2018, Public Relations and Strategic Communications
Why did you choose Hirons for an internship?
Hirons had a drive and competitive nature that I didn’t see at a lot of other places. I felt I could learn a few things from those kind of people, specifically in an agency setting.
What do you hope to accomplish during your internship?
I hope to have new portfolio pieces, gain a better understanding of how agency functions, and learn how Hirons utilizes media and digital.
What kind of work-related experience do you bring to us?
Purdue Athletic Department: Marketing and Promotions – 2 years
What kind of life experience do you bring to us?
I was born and raised in Indiana, but both of my parents are from Kenya.
What are your first impressions of Hirons?
Everyone is busy all the time, always. Be prepared to do anything.
Fun facts about yourself:
- I played the trumpet in the Purdue Band for two years.
- I’m the oldest with two younger sisters.
- I have never had a pet.