Intern Chronicles

Intern Chronicles: Meet this trio

Editor’s note: This column kicks off a Front Row feature on ESPN summer interns.

More than 13,000 applicants sought an ESPN 2011 summer internship, competing for only 90 spots available.

ESPN’s internships are offered in the fall and spring semesters and during the summer. Interns are located primarily in our Bristol, Conn., New York City and Los Angeles offices.

Meet three of the Bristol-based interns here in these short profiles below.

Vicente Bonilla, working in Commercial Operations
Full Sail University, Music Business and Recording Arts

Within the Commercial Operations department, Bonilla verifies the commercial placements on ESPN’s international logs and makes sure that clients obtain enough product separation so that competitors do not run on the same break. As a music business and recording arts major, Bonilla hopes to expand his outreach and contribute ideas to the music department.

FR: How did you learn about the internship program?

Bonilla: I was just browsing the website during my last couple of weeks at my previous internship and was looking for another company to work for. Once I found the website, I realized that there were a plethora of internship positions at ESPN. My eyes almost popped out of my head.

FR: When were you hired?

Bonilla: I can remember it like it was yesterday. It was Monday, March 7 around 4 p.m. while a recording studio. Upon hearing the news, I did a couple of fist pumps in the air to celebrate as I couldn’t make too much noise because I didn’t want anyone to know just yet. As far as who was the first person I told, I was in the process of updating my status on Facebook to reveal the news to my friends, but common sense kicked in and I told myself, “maybe I should tell my girlfriend first before I get yelled at about why she had to find out from someone on Facebook rather than hearing it from me first.” Yeah, I saved myself on that one.

Laura LeBlanc, working in Creative Services
Pennsylvania State University, Interdisciplinary Digital Studio

Only three weeks in, LeBlanc has created a graphic for ESPN’s First Take and has been rendering rejoins for golf. This summer, she hopes to learn specific software skills that will be able to further her career.

FR: What led you to apply for an internship?

LeBlanc: When I found that all of the 3D work that I had seen on ESPN was done in-house, I knew I had to apply. I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to learn from talented professionals.

FR: What was the interview process like?

LeBlanc: I had set up a phone interview with my supervisor, however the weekend before I received a surprise call from someone in Human Resources asking me about my interest in sports, who my favorite athletes were, and what sports I watched. My interview with my supervisor (Matthew Tucker) was more specific to my education, classes and software skills.

Alexis Fitch, working in Programming (Global X)
University of South Carolina, Sport and Entertainment Management

As an intern, Fitch has helped out with the department’s marketing initiatives by checking YouTube and Facebook for promotions from the department’s sponsors. Through these next eight weeks, Fitch hopes to take in as much as she can and try to learn all aspects that go into planning the X Games.

FR: What have you learned so far about working at ESPN?

Fitch: I have learned that listening and observing are key components to becoming successful. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are,” and I intend to follow those guidelines during my time here. I think we all should make the most of out of this internship, by doing as much as possible, meeting as many people as possible, and giving it our all!

For more information on ESPN’s Internship Program, click here.

Back to top button