Discovering More and More Each Day at Discovery

Alexandra (right), her manager, and a fellow intern on her last day of the summer

By Dean’s Intern Alexandra Francavilla at Discovery

I finished up my summer at Discovery in early August. I went home and classes started as I waited for my new assignment. It was strange not going into Silver Spring every day. I missed my daily commute – reading Game of Thrones on the metro ride home and sleeping on the morning ride in because I had stayed up too late. I had come to fall into my routine, and Discovery felt like home I missed. Then, at the end of August they told me where I’d be working, and I couldn’t wait to go back to the place I made my home this summer!

A little background to explain my internship situation: I have a three-semester long rotational internship with Discovery Communications’ department, The Agency. The Agency is basically just an internal, well, agency. Discovery owns 13 networks (such as Discovery, TLC, OWN, Animal Planet, Science Channel, etc.), so the company is broken down into those networks with their own

structures. But, The Agency, works for all of them. Basically, they form partnerships, consumer insights, create materials for promotion of all networks and the company at large…at least if I am understanding everything correctly.

So, that is what I am doing with my internship, I work in a different department of The Agency each semester. And wow, this semester I am learning a lot because my time as an intern is divided between 2 departments: Corporate Communications (anything internal communicated to employees as well as information that is shared externally for reporting) and the Interactive Team (websites and their AMAZING VR properties – go watch them on Discovery VR now, they are so cool!) I spilt my time each week between the teams, and they have me doing such different things, that I am learning so much.

This internship is proving to be invaluable. I not only gaining a deeper understanding of what I want to do, but how this company operates, which is proving to be more than a few month job. After my time here, I know I will have a greater understanding of not only the overall structure, but what each team does; giving me competitive workplace skills across the board due to the variety of work I am given.