Stephanie graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Spring 2025 with a degree in Marketing and a minor in Communications and Digital Studies. While searching for full-time roles, she faced the challenge many recent graduates do: finding the right fit in her field. Her cousin, who worked at Matern Staffing at the time, connected her to a summer Public Relations/Communications internship with a public utility company. Excited to gain hands-on experience, Stephanie applied and quickly immersed herself in meaningful projects.
First-Day Nerves and Real-World Experience
Stepping into the internship, Stephanie immediately noticed the difference from her previous remote experience.
“This opportunity felt like a ‘real job,’ more serious and important. I knew that this internship would give me a lot of great experience and I didn’t want to mess that up.” – Stephanie J.
Her responsibilities ranged from developing Amazon Marketplace strategies to writing internal magazine articles, creating social media content, and drafting email campaigns.
Building Confidence and Earning Trust
Stephanie thrived because the team entrusted her with significant responsibilities from the start. “The most impactful thing that happened while I was interning was how much respect and trust I received from day one. The entire time I was an intern, I was given real projects and not just ‘grunt work,” she says. That trust pushed her to dive into the company’s sub-brands, understand internal processes, and practice real marketing strategies in a hands-on, practical environment.
She also built strong relationships with colleagues across departments, learned how different teams collaborated, and gradually grew more confident in her ability to contribute. By the time her internship ended, she already understood the rhythm, expectations, and priorities of the role. Therefore, the transition into full-time work felt like a natural next step.
Full-Time Role: Creativity, Strategy, and Collaboration
In her full-time marketing role, Stephanie balances creativity and analytics every day. Her typical day includes managing social media strategy and content, collaborating across departments, contributing to advertising plans for 2026, and supporting marketing campaigns for sub-brands. “Having the ability to blend the creative and analytical parts of my job to create exciting campaigns and strategies to help further the organization’s goals is what I enjoy most,” she explains. The combination of strategic thinking, cross-team collaboration, and creative execution makes her work both challenging and fulfilling.
Proud Achievements and Lessons Learned
Stephanie looks back on her internship with pride, particularly a campaign she led for Amazon Prime Day that exceeded expectations. “It ended up being wildly successful and allowed me to show off my skills and aptitude! I am also proud of the confidence I’ve built surrounding my abilities and ideas,” she says. Reflecting on her journey, she encourages students to embrace opportunities when they arise:
“Don’t let opportunity pass you by, take it. I almost didn’t apply. It’s really important to get your foot in the door, but you can’t do that if you don’t open the door when opportunity knocks.” – Stephanie J.
Turning Internships into Careers
Stephanie’s story illustrates the power of summer internships as a springboard to full-time employment. By taking a chance, working hard, and learning from every project, she transformed a temporary role into a meaningful, growing career, and Matern Staffing helped connect her to the opportunity that started it all.
Stories like Stephanie’s remind us how powerful the right internship can be — for both the business and the emerging professional. If your company is ready to develop future talent, our team can help you build a strong internship pipeline. Job seekers can also browse our open internships today and take the next step toward their own success story.