Whitman Senior Shines in Internship at The Streaming Guide

Madison Covino ’21, a dual major in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises at Whitman and advertising at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, had applied to dozens of internships during the final stretch of her junior year but felt prospects were bleak because of the pandemic. When undergraduate career advisor Emily Shaughnessy sent her an opportunity with The Streaming Guide (TSG), she immediately thought it might be a good fit.

Around the same time, co-founder of TSG Corey Passarella ’11, member of the Young Whitman Alumni Advisory Council, kicked off his search for an intern from Syracuse University. He worked with the team at the Whitman Career Center and received 40-plus resumes. Covino’s resume quickly rose to the top.

“We don’t just hire people; we adopt them,” says Passarella, who explains that it’s not uncommon for TSG to hold seven to 10 interviews before deciding on an applicant. “We like to really get to know a person before hiring them,” adds Passarella, noting this was something he learned while at Goldman Sachs.

“It became evident quickly that Madison exhibits many of the attributes that formulate a successful person: intelligence, leadership skills, the ability to communicate effectively and abstract thinking,” he says.

Covino was hired and hit the ground running, working on the soon-to-launch social app that allows users to search, discover and share their favorite movies and TV shows across the growing number of streaming services. She quickly became a vital part of the team, using her graphic design skills to play a leading role in designing TSG’s user experience and user interface. Not long after, she was tasked to “get the conversation started” by leading TSG’s social media strategy. As if that wasn’t enough, Covino returned to SU for the fall semester, where she was welcomed with a full course load and the University’s COVID-19 testing protocols.

“You certainly don’t find out someone’s true character when things are going well,” says Passarella. “I always stressed to Madison that her classwork and enjoying her senior year came before her work at TSG.”

As Covino’s internship progressed, Passarella learned that her work ethic allowed her to be successful juggling everything. “We quickly learned that there was no task too big—or small—that she couldn’t handle,” he says.

“If you had told me a year ago that I’d be passionate about working for a startup, I would have said you were crazy,” says Covino. “But I’m a different person than I was last August. It also helps that the team at TSG is awesome.”

Says Passarella, “It would be foolish for us to not hire Madison full time when she graduates. She’s an integral part of the team, and her work product speaks for itself.”

Passarella and Covino both highlighted their excitement as TSG gears up to release its mobile app, which will be available in the app store this summer. Follow TSG on Twitter @thestreamguide or visit thestreamingguide.com.