Every summer, Syracuse University students engage in internships to acquire practical experience. Internships don’t just provide you with professional skills; they also help you build your network, giving you a leg up in today’s job market. The process can be thrilling and inspiring—a potent reminder of the power of Orange.
Exploring Opportunities Across the Globe
Tejas Poojary G’26, a master’s student in computer science, at PayPal in Chicago.
Whether you intern in your hometown or in another state or country, the goal is the same—to experience the workplace in real time.
Francesca Giannola ’26, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), interned at Warner Records in Los Angeles. A member of Warner Music Group (WMG)’s Emerging Talent Associate Program, she helped produce video content and wrote and pitched marketing ideas. “I participated in storytelling in a new way,” says the aspiring filmmaker.
Two thousand miles away, Tejas Poojary G’26 interned at PayPal in Chicago. The master’s student in computer science developed applications for a payment processing platform called Braintree. “I did network tokenization, which protects customers’ credit card data,” says Poojary, who’s based in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “It was great working alongside world-class engineers on projects that mattered.”
Shayla Ismael ’27 leveraged her public relations training into an internship at Lindsey Media, a fashion and lifestyle communications firm in New York City.
Shayla Ismael ’27 interned at Lindsey Media, a Manhattan-based fashion and lifestyle communications firm. There, she experienced the exhilarating, fast-paced life of a fashion publicist. “One of my main responsibilities was to support product placement,” recalls the public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “Working with celebrity stylists gave me insight into how red-carpet events come together.”
Gustavo Madero ’27—a political science major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a public relations major in the Newhouse School—interned at a legal recruiting company in Tokyo called Just Legal. “Shadowing top headhunters, I met weekly with attorneys of all levels of experience,” says Madero, who also has studied in Madrid and Shanghai. “The internship gave me a true understanding of the Japanese legal market.”
Utilizing Campus Resources
“I’m proud to be part of the criminal justice solution,” says Tyree Benjamin ’26, a political science major who interned at the Vera Institute in Brooklyn.
Behind every internship is a supportive network of faculty, staff and alumni. Many of them are affiliated with offices and programs on campus designed to give you a competitive edge.
Giannola found out about the WMG program through Handshake and then relied on members of VPA’s Office of Academic and Career Advising to polish her application materials. “The office was a tremendous resource,” she says.
Tyree Benjamin ’26, a political science major in the Maxwell School, learned of an opening at the Vera Institute from Erin Smith ’15, Career Services’ internship coordinator. (Smith showed him listings for the Brooklyn-based think tank on Handshake and LinkedIn.) “At Vera, I helped research information about state and federal legislatures that could be used to persuade them to change incarceration and immigration laws,” Benjamin says. “Additionally, I ensured inmates had access to basic services and necessities.”
LinkedIn also helped Poojary and Ismael, the latter of whom used a Career Services Internship Funding Award to cover transportation expenses. Poojary, in turn, participated in mock interviews with “seniors and peers” and learned a technical job interview platform called LeetCode.
Madero took advantage of the same funding award to cover various experiences, including housing, while living abroad. “Syracuse University had my back,” he says.
Learning Practical Applications
Francesca Giannola ’26, a communication and rhetorical studies major, at Warner Records in Los Angeles.
Internships help bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world experience. They also are catalysts for self-discovery, giving you a clearer understanding of who you are and the kind of professional you want to become.
Interning at Vera reminded Benjamin that everyone is entitled to dignity and respect. “I’m proud to be part of the criminal justice solution,” says the Our Time Has Come Scholar.
Giannola benefited from being part of a highly professional creative team, claiming that it “sharpened [her] skills and expanded [her] understanding” of the music and entertainment industry.
Madero gained fresh insights into the cultural complexities of international law. “It’s interesting how different cultural values shape day-to-day business practices abroad,” he observes.
An aspiring publicist, Ismael was empowered by her interactions with stylists, editors and talent teams. “They gave me the confidence to do it all.”
