Internship Spotlight: Hannah Rollins, Altria

Hannah Rollins is a Marketing major graduating in the spring of 2022.  This summer she interned at Altria as a Territory Summer Sales Intern in Richmond, Virginia.

What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience?

The Eller Expo was the sole reason I was able to secure this internship. I had no idea what Altria was, just the fact that I was interested in sales, so I thought it would be a great networking opportunity. I was able to talk with a recruiter one on one and absolutely loved everything they had to say. I was looking for a job where I would have a busy day to day schedule because I like to stay involved and try new things. After 2 interviews, they reached out to me about an internship offer in September. I jumped at the chance to work with this company and I am so thankful that I did!

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of the experience was being able to connect with so many different employees across the company in a variety of departments such as advertising, brand, sales and development. Everyone was always willing to work with interns to either give them advice, help them with projects or even simply talk about their experience. I was never given a no and everyone in the company was so genuine. My personal cohort that I worked with on a daily basis was about 7 other interns and we all became very close after working with each other on individual territory projects as well as group projects involving account management for large chains such as Circle K. I felt very welcomed and accepted with anyone at the company.

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below:

The major project for the end of the summer was working on an account management case study that mimicked Circle K Convenience stores throughout 3 states. In groups of 3 to 4 interns we were given a data package that showed 1500 stores performance within the tobacco category and a budget of $100,000. With this information we had to create a plan and presentation that would increase store visits by 50 consumers per week, increase sales, promote the newest product and also take advantage of the digital technology the company has in store such as their cash registers and their mobile application. My team was able to create a plan that centered around digital exclusive promotions and increased amounts of signage to reach consumers that we do not normally communicate with. We also created and implemented a cashier educational program to educate clerks on the products our company sells. It was very fun and we were given a lot of room to be creative!

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful?

I would tell other students to never be afraid to speak up or reach out to any employees. People love interns and want them to be able to learn. Although you may be trying to impress a company to receive a full time offer, they are also trying to impress you so that you will want to come back and give the company a good review to other potential interns. Take advantage of the short experience you have because it goes by so quickly and you will be able to learn so much!