Coolhead Tech's internship program got started last year and included several marketing and programming interns. This first 'class' of part-time student workers has been huge for the success of the business. They have also helped our partners and clients grow stronger.
We recently talked with programming intern Aaron Wilson, who is finishing up his degree at the University of Texas. This week we'll sit down with another Coolhead Tech intern, this time a Texas State University (in San Marcos) student. Brittni Young works in blogging, content creation and social media with Coolhead's clients.
She worked as a reporter and Web editor at the Foghorn News at Del Mar College while working toward her associate degree. After getting it, she wasn’t sure exactly where she wanted to finish her education.
'It ended up being narrowed down between Texas State and Texas A&M Kingsville,' she says. She was offered positions with both schools' newspapers, but she knew if she chose A&M Kingsville she was staying in her safety zone.
'My heart just wasn’t there.'
But when she first visited Texas State for a Texas Community College Journalism Association event, she fell in love with the campus and its students.
'I remembered walking through the campus and standing near LBJ looking over a ledge that overlooked San Marcos, taking in the view and falling in love, (thinking) this is where I needed to be. The vibe in that town—and with Austin not too far away—just drew me in.'
So 'Bobcat Country' was calling to her, but she was on the fence about what to do. She spoke with one of her professors, who suggested she go with what she truly wanted.
'It was then when I realized that this was my future I was determining. My answer was Texas State—the best decision I could make. It was first step to somewhere greater.'
When the time came for her to get an internship, she attended a fall 2012 internship fair at Texas State in San Marcos run by Campus2Careers. She gathered her freshly-printed resumes, nervous and excited and not knowing what to expect.
'I began to hear all the horror stories about trying to land an internship. When I arrived, it was a relief to know that I was not the only one nervous about talking with the employers. Just about every student in the room was feeling the same excited nervous energy that I was feeling.'
Coolhead Tech was the first business she approached.
'When I met (Coolhead founder) Chris Alghini, I felt a great vibe from him. He was excited about his business and wanted someone on his team to add to this excitement. I was thrilled to hear back from him after the internship fair. All of the horror stories in the countless attempts of trying to land an internship seemed to be a murmur now that I was here landing my first internship.'
Brittni began working at Coolhead Tech, writing blogs about Google Apps and other business apps and running the social media campaigns.
What advice does Brittni have for future Coolhead Tech interns?
'You should come in with an open mind and creativity,' she says. 'Online business is always evolving, and you must know how to keep ahead of it. If you have an idea, speak up. No idea is ever pointless. It will keep you motivated to move forward.'