Internship Spotlight: Ethan Gillham, Brightspark Consulting

Ethan Gillham is a Marketing major and Global Business minor graduating in the Fall of 2021.  This summer he interned with Brightspark Consulting as a Digital Marketing Intern in Dublin, Ireland.

What was a typical day like?

Each day was different which is what made me enjoy the internship even more. I would wake up for meetings at 8:00am which isn't always easy but if you don't meet before the Ireland business day ends, you won't have the chance to talk with your supervisor or ask any questions if needed. The rest of the day was independent work and I would normally work until 1:00pm. During my independent time I was working on writing web copy for the Brightspark website or I was bringing Brightspark to Tiktok or I was creating a digital marketing audio book targeting Ireland's recent college graduates. These are only a few of the projects I worked on during my summer.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of interning at Brightspark Consulting was having the opportunity to spearhead their TikTok presence. TikTok has obviously blown up and getting your business noticed on there is a big deal. I created a two month campaign that targeted graduated college students in Ireland. We chose college students because Brightspark specializes in brand consulting along with teaching digital marketing and social media to small businesses. Expanding their audience to another audience who was also searching for digital marketing knowledge. Having the opportunity to discover a new target market for Brightspark, become better familiarized with TikTok for business, and creating a campaign that matches what our target audience is looking for were all memorable experiences.

What did you find most challenging?

One of the most challenging parts of working at Brightspark was the time difference. I started my summer and internship in St. Louis, Missouri as I was visiting family. Traveling between states was tricky because it took time away from working and it was confusing due to the domestic time difference. Missouri was only six hours ahead of Ireland whereas Arizona was eight hours ahead. This extreme time difference is hard to get accustomed to but once you find a consistent schedule that works for you, there is no reason you won't succeed.

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

Take the work seriously. The experience you gain through an international internship is unlike any other opportunity. Soak up the skills you are learning, the tools you are using, the people you are meeting because at the end of the day, those are what employers are going to want to hear about. You will apply the skills you learn in your internship towards your professional journey. The tools the internship arms you with will be a lifesaver in the future and will help make your life easier. Lastly, be inquisitive about the experience, location, area of business etc.. The knowledge you gain will make you stand out in an interview and your professional life so ask as many questions as you can.