Part of the Team

Trish at National Geographic Channel

By Dean’s Intern Trish Robbins at National Gegraphic

It’s easy to fall into that trap of trying to prove yourself by sticking to the mentality, “Not only can I do it all, but I can do it all by myself!” This is a big mistake, and a mistake I have been guilty of making. As important as individual skills are, the greatest lesson I’ve learned from working at National Geographic Channel is the importance of working and collaborating as a team.

From my first day as an intern in the creative marketing department at National Geographic Channel, I have been treated as an equal. I have been invited to every team meeting, cc’ed on all important emails within the team, and brought to Channel wide presentations, one of which I was able to sit only a foot away from the CEO of the Channel and listen to her input on the presentation.

At first I was surprised at the level of transparency within the department and the entire channel. I couldn’t believe that almost everything that my boss was informed of, I was as well. Shortly after starting this internship I realized that I was not just an intern but also considered a member of the team.

Reptiles over Excel spreadsheets any day!

As intimidated as I was as first, my wonderful supervisor and team members greeted me with open arms and I immediately felt a sense of comfort. The atmosphere at National Geographic Channel is a welcoming one. Questions are encouraged, creative input from everyone is appreciated, and having a sense of humor is key. All of this, I believe, contributes to the success of the Channel and has made my experience interning here such a positive one.

My supervisor has been working with me on writing promo scripts . She provides me with examples of her own work and gives me feedback on the scripts that I have written. I also help choose moments from different shows that I think would work best for promos, and assist editors by transcribing footage. Currently I am in the middle of working on writing promo scripts for two different shows. Not only will I leave this internship with a portfolio of work but also a new set of skills that will greatly benefit me in my upcoming job search.

I feel incredibly lucky to have had this introduction to the amazing world of creative marketing at a company like National Geographic Channel. It is everything I hoped it would be and more.