EDGE Interns Reflect on their Summer Experience

All summer long we followed two interns over the course of their program on social media. They gave us glimpses into their daily lives and showed off one-of-a-kind experiences. While the summer season may have come to an end, the lessons learned and connections made continue.

Marvin Rojas-Javier and Alexis McDonald teamed up to reflect on their EDGE internships. Check it out…

Question: What drew you to the EDGE internship?

Alexis: This wasn’t my first rodeo interning with AT&T, however, it was my first time on this side of the business. I previously interned with Cricket Wireless. The opportunity to combine the experiences I got from the brand, advertising, and digital care teams at Cricket with the main brand side of the globe while learning even more about the business drew me to the EDGE internship.

Marvin: I had a unique experience as I was actually able to follow the VP of Public Sector, Education and FirstNet Marketing, Matt Hickey, during my sophomore year in a C-suite day conducted by one of my student organizations. He and his team were amazing and helped open my eyes to all the possibilities AT&T has to offer students.

Q: What were you expecting your internship to be like and how did the actual experience differ?

Marvin: I was expecting professional development, hands on experience and support from my team. I got all three and more during my time as an intern. I got to work on meaningful projects while always knowing I had a group of supporters behind me every step of the way. I also got unique, unexpected experiences like a talk with the CEO, John Stankey, a tour of AT&T stadium, and so much more.

Alexis: My internship was with consumer advertising, so I was expecting I would review advertisements and give my feedback. In actuality, I was placed with the Flagship team, which is under Retail and Special Experiences. As part of the Flagship team, I was able to attend several activations at our flagship stores in Dallas and Chicago. The reality of my internship exceeded my greatest expectations.

Q: What were your day-to-day tasks like?

Marvin: I had five revolving projects during the summer. It was set up in a way where I was able to learn how to successfully manage time for all projects with competing deadlines. I always had something to do but was given the freedom to decide how and when I wanted to do it.

Alexis: My day-to-day tasks included attending teams meetings, researching the current state of social media, following up with our agency partners and ensuring our activations were successful.

Q: What achievements are you most proud of from your internship?

Alexis: It was definitely developing and implementing the TikTok strategy for AT&T’s flagship stores for me.

Marvin: I’m most proud of the network I built during my time here. These connections have fostered impactful relationships that will last a long time. Everyone from SVP to VP to my fellow interns.

Q: What was your favorite part of #LifeAtATT and whats sets AT&T apart from other companies?

Alexis: My favorite part of #LifeAtATT was meeting full-time team members and hearing about their career journeys. AT&T is special because you can be here for 20 years and have 10 different roles in that time.

Marvin: Absolutely! Just about everyone I met that had been working for AT&T for a decade or longer got to do something new about every 2 years. The culture enables people to take a leap of faith but still have a layer of security. Not a lot of other companies can say that. With AT&T’s scale, there is always another opportunity around the corner, which keeps things exciting and fresh.

Q: What advice would you offer other students?

Alexis: Make your presence known on your team. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and let your team know what you want!

Marvin: I’d say take the opportunities that come your way. Even if it may not be something you envisioned yourself doing, take the risk. Don’t lose the chance to discover something new.

Q: What’s next for you?

Marvin: I’m starting my senior year at the University of Oklahoma and will be graduating spring of 2023! I am exploring full-time roles, soaking in college memories and enjoying being a dog dad!

Alexis: I’m still interning currently and working to hopefully turn it into a full-time position.

Ready to experience the EDGE internship for yourself?