Internship Spotlight: Kaitlyn Hsu, STUCK Design

Kaitlyn Hsu BSBA ‘24 (Marketing, Global Business, & East Asian Studies) was a Global Intern at STUCK Design in Singapore.

If you worked on a big project during your internship, please describe what you did to help. 

During my internship at STUCK Design, I worked with their Matterkids team which is in charge of developing and growing the Peekabook app. Peekabook is a discovery-based children’s app available on iPad that utilizes a physical ring to make storytelling fun and interactive. I was highly involved in their marketing efforts and initiated their first official advertising campaign for the app through their Meta platforms. After conducting market research and presenting my recommendations for potential advertisements, I was in charge of writing their primary ad copy and properly communicating the intended messages to their consumers. 

What did you find most challenging about your internship?

The most challenging aspect I experienced during my internship relates to the work dynamic and timelines. Given that Singapore has a more hierarchical leadership structure, many decisions must be approved by the supervisors and higher directors before any further action can be taken; therefore, the overall workflow is much slower and relaxed in some ways. Additionally, due dates may shift more, depending on what those business leaders may request or require sooner. My observations are in comparison with a more corporate, American work style where deadlines are more set and all involved parties hold to them more closely. 

What advice do you have for other students that are also considering interning abroad?

For other students considering an internship abroad, I would strongly suggest that they consider the opportunity more in terms of the international, diverse work dynamic that they will experience as opposed to the specific work itself. In a completely different country, I believe there is much more to be learned and gained from observing how people relate to one another, as well as how they relate themselves to their work. Technical work skills can be taught and learned anywhere, but understanding a new culture and learning how to communicate in various ways is an invaluable takeaway from an experience such as this. I would also advise students to be prepared to flex their personalities and be open to changing their methods, as the work may be completely different from what they are used to. 

How did Eller (or your previous coursework) prepare you for your internship? 

Entering this internship, I was confident in the both the fundamental and elective marketing courses I have taken so far through Eller. I was particularly grateful for the more conceptual concepts that I learned about consumer behavior and market research; I was directly applying that knowledge to tasks in my internship. Overall, Eller has taught me how to think critically and how to present my ideas well, which are two important skills that employers are always looking for. In addition, I was able to adapt and immerse myself into whatever group setting I encountered. The collaboration I have engaged in all throughout my time at Eller was certainly helpful for that.