This summer, 49 interns representing the 13 states of the West Division jumped into the world of Comcast. For many of us, Comcast was unlike any place we’ve ever worked. It’s a company with endless opportunities to learn new skills, network with career professionals and get hands-on experience.
I joined the External Affairs team as a Social Media Specialist intern. While I have worked with social programs in the past, it was an eye-opening experience to see all the moving parts that go into bringing content to consumers. From Creative Services to External Communications, everyone had a hand in putting Comcast’s best foot forward through digital media.
I experienced all aspects of the business and learned how Comcast goes above and beyond to support their customers. One of my favorite projects was a summary of Comcast’s efforts to bridge the digital divide. I learned about how Project UP has brought WiFi and technology to thousands of people, changing their lives for the better.
After hearing about Project UP and Lift Zones, I had the privilege of shadowing a production shoot for the Boys and Girls Club of Pikes Peak Region. Jeffrey Ngetich, a 15-year-old coder, talked about how getting a laptop from Comcast at the Lift Zone sparked his passion for combatting cyberbullying.
This was just one of the many experiences that made me realize how special it is to work for Comcast. Not only are we connecting people, but we’re also changing their lives for the better.
I’ve had so many unique experiences this summer, from doing a tech ride-along to supporting an Olympics event with former Olympian Dominique Dawes (who is super cool and down to earth by the way). If I ever expressed an interest in something happening at Comcast, my team went above and beyond to get me involved. I pushed myself to see and do as much as I could because I knew my team would support me.
National Intern Day
If you thought it couldn’t get better than meeting a former Olympian, then you’d be wrong.
For weeks, my intern cohort had been working towards National Intern Day 2024. All 49 of us gathered in Denver, Colo. for three days of team-bonding, networking and career advice.
While I’m local for the summer, many of the interns are spread out across different states or work virtually. This was the first time we would all see each other in person, so we spent the first night getting to know each other over dinner and through icebreakers.
We hit the ground running on Wednesday with a networking breakfast to meet senior leaders of different teams like marketing, finance, and HR. One of the best parts about working for Comcast has been the opportunity to learn about everyone’s career journeys and get professional advice. I think I heard the phrase “Your network is your net worth” at least a dozen times during those three days.
After lunch, we listened to a panel discussion about career, culture and community where we heard a lot of great advice about how to navigate being a professional no matter what your background is. We then participated in a Starbucks case study activity and then headed to Pindustry for some fun games to end the night.
On Thursday, the moment we had been waiting for had finally arrived: National Intern Day. We heard from career professionals as they told us how to make the most out of networking and our time here. After that, we watched a broadcast featuring interns from across the country that work for Comcast and NBCUniversal. It was incredible to see the different projects that interns across the entire business have been working on this summer.
To end the day, we heard from young entrepreneurs with Curls on the Block. They presented us with brief pitches about their businesses, and we gave them feedback and voted on whose business pitch we liked the best. Hearing from these passionate kids was so inspiring.
It was so rewarding to spend those three days with my fellow interns and get to know them better. We all brought different strengths to Comcast and pushed each other to be our best selves.
Intern Project Showcases
When I wasn’t joining production shoots or writing blog posts, I was working on my final internship project. Core interns (students in their last year of school) are put in groups and given a topic to present to the revered “SLT” (Senior Leadership Team) comprised of the West Division president and his C-level colleagues.
My group was especially excited to work on our topic: How can we ethically integrate AI into Comcast’s streaming services?
The project pushed me to learn about a field that I didn’t know much about, and I was grateful for the opportunity to expand my knowledge about AI. Each of my team members brought a unique perspective to our topic and we were able to combine everyone’s suggestions into a solution we were proud of.
Despite my nerves about presenting to the SLT, our presentation sailed smoothly. My group celebrated a job well done with a hint of sadness, knowing it was our last day working as a team.
Final Thoughts
My summer at Comcast is coming to an end. I’ve done so many incredible things here, from publishing sponsored content for Xfinity to brainstorming ideas for a career journey video. I’ve had endless opportunities here to get involved with the projects I am interested in.
Out of all the great things about Comcast, the people are my favorite part. Every person here is kind, passionate about their work, and eager to help you on your journey. A special shoutout to the External Affairs Team for having me this summer and making my experience wonderful.
If you get lucky enough to intern at Comcast one day, I encourage you to take full advantage of every day. As cliché as it may sound, time really does fly by.
Good luck to all the future Comcast interns!
-Emi Thomas
