In this “Internship Experience” blog post series, we will be featuring the profile and thoughts of our students from Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management as they reflect on their internship experience over the last year.
Name: Ryan Baker
Graduation Year: 2022
Majors: Marketing Management (WHIT) / Broadcast and Digital Journalism (NEW)
Hometown: Voorhees, NJ
Internship Company/Title: Digital Production Assistant – NBC Sports (for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games)
Describe your position and some of your daily tasks?
I worked as a digital production assistant cutting highlights for hundreds of hours of live Olympic sports for NBC’s digital platforms. I worked at NBC Sports in Stamford, Connecticut and worked overnights because sporting events took place then.
How did you land your internship?
I applied through the NBC job portal, but I met a recruiter on campus during an NBC job informational event that I kept in contact with throughout the process.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
I learned to work on a tight deadline and gained valuable experience in the field of digital editing. The collaborative environment that Whitman fosters also helped my ability to be a leader and work as part of a team.
Has your experience changed your plans or career choice when you leave college?
NBC treated its interns so well, and the entire experience has further reinforced my desire to work in the media industry when I graduate in the spring.
How will your internship experience help you after graduation?
I believe that the skills I learned throughout my internship have made me a valuable asset to employers when it comes to working post-graduation. I also made connections with the most amazing and talented people at NBC. My supervisor was even a Syracuse alumnus!
How has the Whitman School prepared you for your internship?
I am a dual major studying marketing management at the Whitman School of Management, and broadcast and digital journalism at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. This academic program combination has made me knowledgeable about both the on-air aspect and business component that NBC must coordinate with an event as enormous as the Olympic Games. For my position specifically, I got to apply the skills I learned in Whitman’s Digital Marketing Analytics class, which I took in the spring of 2021.
What did you enjoy most about your experience?
The most memorable part of my experience was watching and cutting content from the men’s and women’s surfing competitions. This was the first-time surfing has ever been a part of the summer Olympic games and multiple of my video highlights went viral on the NBC social media accounts!
Do you have any advice for students who are looking for an internship?
Go to the campus career fairs and job recruiting events, and keep in contact with the people you meet there. It is also a great idea to communicate your career goals with your professors who can provide guidance and even connections in your professional life.
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