Leeann Burke ’16, a business administration and management major, understands the importance of an internship — not only for fellow business administration students, but for all majors.
And she strongly recommends starting early to find the internship that will be a good fit now and with the student’s future goals. After completing a summer internship with Linder Global Events in Washington D.C., Burke was happy to share some of the insights she gained.
Burke started emailing possible firms as early as last November looking for somewhere to do an internship in the summer of 2015.
“Most firms weren’t accepting applications, but I was put on a list to be contacted first when the interview process would begin,” says Burke. “My advice to fellow students looking for an internship is to get an early start, and reach out to the firm even if the company isn’t actively looking for interns.”
Even though Linder Global Events wasn’t actively looking for interns, Leeann sent her resume and cover letter anyway. She was hired and worked with another intern from UNC Wilmington on various tasks.
Linder Global Events is based in Washington, D.C. Since incorporating in 1997, it has partnered with international clients to produce and manage innovative and experiential events of up to 500,000 guests, making it one of the top firms on the East Coast for special events management.
Burke remembers a couple of highlights of her internship as a company day trip planned by the interns to various Washington, D.C., venues and getting to select a tasting menu and table décor for a gala dinner.
The extensive experience Burke has had already in event planning at CHC was helpful in her work last summer. She served as co-chair of the 2015 Philadelphia Brotherly Love Cup Quidditch Tournament and planned the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society’s Annual Honors Gala.
Burke also is editor of the Aurelian, co-director of the Heroes on the Hill 5K/Carnival, co-president of Unified 4 Uganda and president of Alpha Lambda Delta.
“For my future, I hope to take what I learned at Linder and use it to get a position with Walt Disney Company, preferably in their Fantasy Weddings Event Program,” says Burke. “Ultimately though, I would like to end up at the White House in the Office of the Social Secretary.”
— Cristina Diaz ’15
