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For National Intern Day, we’re celebrating the talented interns who launched their careers with us and continue to make an impact with the skills they learned during their internships.
Sofia Valdes | Marketing Manager at American University
Sofia first dipped her toe into event development and marketing strategies during her internship at Florida International University (FIU), where she worked with the FIU dining team to execute events that promoted community engagement. As a marketing intern, she learned how to tap into her peers’ dining needs and develop events that fulfilled those needs.
She demonstrated this talent during one of her favorite projects, FIU’s Coffee Day, which celebrated the birthday of the pumpkin spice latte. Sofia helped set up the event, host giveaways, and hand out samples while fostering connections with her guests.
Sofia graduated in December 2023 with a bachelor of arts in marketing and a certificate in social media and e-analytics. She worked with her manager at FIU to develop a path to continue her career at Chartwells, which resulted in a position as marketing manager for American University. There, Sofia continues to develop student engagement events that bring the campus together, like hosting late-night breakfasts during finals or hosting celebrity chef Bal Arneson.
Jose Perez Vela | Sustainability Director at the University of Pittsburgh
At the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), Jose exercised his natural passion for sustainability as a sustainability and marketing intern. For four semesters, he focused on elevating UTA’s sustainability efforts and promoting how the dining team was giving back to the Earth.
Jose helped out during the launch of UTA’s OZZI reusables program, which diverts single-use plastics from landfills using eco-friendly reusable to-go containers. During the launch, he produced and edited videos that marketed the new initiative, along with training videos that taught students how to sign up for the program.
After graduating in May 2023 with an Honors Bachelor of Science in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, he took his skills to the University of Pittsburgh as the Sustainability Director. He uses his skills in project management to collaborate with stakeholders from the university team, the dining team, and his own team of interns.
We are proud to assist our interns by cultivating long-term career capabilities and creating opportunities for future career advancement with us. Congratulations to all our skilled interns, and happy National Intern Day!
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