Reflections on My Summer Internships: Learning, Growth, and Challenges in Marketing

As a marketing major with the want to grow my knowledge and skills, I completed two summer internships at two very different companies: NewMarket Corporation and W.M. Jordan Company. Both offered amazing opportunities to meet new people, learn a whole new industry, and experience real-life projects that I wouldn’t have experienced within my classes. I gained insight into workplace environments, and increased my professional confidence, which both taught me that the future isn’t as scary as it seems. Take a look into my internship journey to understand that no matter what company you intern with, the experiences will only aid you in figuring out your future plan.

NewMarket Corporation

During my summer internship at NewMarket Corporation, located in Richmond, Virginia, I had the opportunity to work with the Marketing and Communications group. I was involved in various tasks, but one of my key responsibilities was conducting market research. This experience gave me a solid foundation in how companies analyze markets, identify trends, and plan their strategies around them. I created organized spreadsheets that analyzed the competitors' websites and LinkedIn to track their marketing tactics off of ours. I conducted research on the entire motor oil marketing, for NewMarket to strategize their product entrance into the market.

In addition to market research, I also had the opportunity to contribute to the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, which was an insightful experience. I had the chance to sit in meetings with designers, and I personally proofread and gave my point of view on the design. Projects like that, where I was involved and listened to, taught me so much about myself and opened my eyes to the fact that I do in fact have good ideas! 

One of my favorite parts about this internship was that they entrusted me with many of the internal designs they needed to be created, such as logos, digital designs, and pamphlets. Being given the task to design from scratch a safety handbook for their employees on site allowed me to apply the design skills I had developed in previous roles, as well as learn new techniques and explore on my own. Being able to take on creative projects and see them implemented in real-world applications was a highlight of my time at NewMarket.

W.M. Jordan Company: Marketing in the Construction Industry

My internships at W.M. Jordan Company (in 2022 and again in 2023) was my first exposure to marketing within the construction industry. My dad, and three of my brothers all work for general contractors, so naturally growing up I heard a lot about that type of work. By taking this opportunity to join a general contractor that competes with my family members' companies I had the chance to immerse myself in the work that they love to do. It made me understand another industry that I was not privy to beforehand, which has only helped me.

Working alongside the marketing team, I quickly realized how every aspect of marketing plays a role in shaping business decisions—from brand positioning to the creation of proposals for new construction projects. My main job here was to strategically create proposals for jobs on which W.M. Jordan was bidding. This process was tedious and time consuming, as I had to first research our past jobs that were similar to the one we were bidding, and integrate the companies past to prove that we would be the best company for the new construction project.  This experience taught me how to tailor messaging and design to address the unique needs of each project, while highlighting our specific strengths and capabilities.

In addition, my time at W.M. Jordan also allowed me to expand my technical skills. I learned to use design software like InDesign and Photoshop to create impactful visuals for marketing materials. While some marketing majors may see my internship with W.M. Jordan as random or outside of the normal path, I believe that without those two years of intense experience I would not be as knowledgeable or confident as I am today. My bosses at W.M. Jordan believed in my skill set and trusted me with the proposal process as well as numerous other tasks. I am so beyond thankful that I went outside of the typical marketing internship path and pushed myself to understand that there are opportunities in everything that should not be taken for granted ever.

My Thoughts Going into Graduation

While both internships were within marketing departments, they offered unique experiences that have shaped my understanding of the job of marketers. My biggest advice is to take advantage of your summers in college. This is a time for you to explore different companies and industries before you must commit to a company. No one truly knows what they want to do with their life, and if they think they do, most likely it will change a million times before they are truly happy. I personally always feel like I am behind when thinking about my future, but I have come to realize that I have set myself up for a bright future. I spread my knowledge of marketing across different industries and gained a professional skill set past the normal knowledge one gains in school. 

Internships are a privilege to be a part of! Use your time very wisely when a part of these companies. Ask questions! Build relationships! And push yourself to grow! Hopefully my internship journey can show you that no matter where you intern, your experience is going to be what you make it…so focus on making it the best!