Each summer, our New York and San Francisco offices look forward to welcoming emerging talent through our internship program.

This year, our San Francisco office welcomed Malia Mundy, a rising senior at Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo, and to our New York office Ally McManus, a rising senior at Villanova University, and Charlie Alpert, a high school senior at Bronx Science in New York City. We sat down with them to learn more about their backgrounds, their experiences at INFINITE, and the key lessons they took away from the eight-week program.

Tell us about yourself.

Malia: I am a rising senior at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, pursuing a bachelor of science in journalism with a concentration in public relations. In the fall, I lived abroad in Barcelona and studied Catalan art and the history of sexuality in Spain. At Cal Poly, I am a member of the award-winning, student-run newspaper, Mustang News. There, I write the satire column and write review pieces of art and culture events for the opinion team.

When I am in San Luis Obispo, I love going to the beach with my friends, hiking, and seeing live music. When I am back in my hometown of Dana Point, California, I like to do yoga, surf, and spend time with my family. Ally: I am a rising senior at Villanova University, majoring in communication and political science with minors in business and marketing. Go Wildcats! I’m from Westchester, New York, and I studied abroad in Rome during the spring of my junior year. While there, I worked as a social media intern for the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). That experience, combined with my time at Infinite, has strengthened my passion for using communications to support mission-driven organizations.

Outside the classroom, I am actively involved in my college a cappella group and have the opportunity to serve as president. In this role, I coordinate performances, plan recruitment for new members, collaborate with other campus groups, and, of course, sing a lot. In my free time, I enjoy being outside with my two dogs and traveling to new places. I’m also very obsessed with The New York Times' daily puzzle games. Charlie: I am a rising high school senior at The Bronx High School of Science in New York City. In addition to learning, my favorite part of school is the time I spend planning student events and community service initiatives. Outside of my internship, I have spent time this summer looking towards the future and starting to complete my college applications. I currently plan to major in political science.

A fun fact about me is that I’m a big Knicks fan so I was quite excited to see them finally win earlier this summer. I also love trying new restaurants with my friends and have grown into somewhat of a reader in the past year.

Can you share a moment this summer when you felt particularly proud of your work?

Malia: Besides when I won kickball MVP at the San Francisco office's annual Field Day, I would say a moment I felt particularly proud of my work was drafting a successful press release for one of my client teams. After spending time researching and drafting the press release I was especially proud of my work, and it felt great to help the client team alleviate their packed schedules for a busy account.

  Ally: The intern research project was especially rewarding. Working with Malia and our team, we analyzed how top 100 and 200 law firms, along with UK firms, describe mergers and acquisitions. Our research uncovered broader patterns and trends that could offer valuable insights for the company. We concluded the project with a blog post examining the disconnect between how journalists report on mergers and how companies communicate them. The topic remained very interesting throughout the summer, and I’m grateful to have had so much ownership over the work. I’m looking forward to seeing our findings published on Infinite’s website!

Charlie: Earlier this summer, I created a media list for a client who was announcing a new lateral hire. The list included roughly one hundred reporters and editors across dozens of publications. A large part of the project was finding reporters relevant to the new hire and ensuring that they were still at the publications where they were listed. I was especially proud of this project because I was able to produce a tool that would be used by not only for this project, but also be a helpful base for many media lists to come.

What is one thing you learned about yourself during the internship?

Malia: One thing that I learned about myself at Infinite this summer was my ability to multitask. During the interview process, I said I wanted to improve my time management skills, and throughout the course of the summer, I have grown into my ability to do so through multitasking. In a career as fast-paced as PR, I learned that I was able to compartmentalize different tasks and assignments while still taking a holistic approach to gaining work experience. Working with Ally on our long-term capstone summer intern project while covering daily and weekly tasks taught me I can handle more than I thought. 

Ally: I learned the value of asking for help and the importance of collaboration. Throughout the summer, I encountered many tasks that were completely new to me, and the Infinite community helped me navigate them. By asking questions and seeking clarity, I gained a deeper understanding from each project. Although I had studied many of these concepts in school, applying them in real-world situations was a different and valuable experience. It showed me that I learn best through hands-on work, which is knowledge I’m excited to carry into future professional opportunities.

Charlie: I’ve always found research a little boring. But over the course of this internship, I’ve learned that I like doing independent research when I am interested in the topic. Throughout the summer, I found myself going down many rabbit holes to truly understand the projects I was working on. Even while looking through the daily legal news, I would pause and take time to read through related articles on the topics that stood out to me.

What surprised you most about working at Infinite?

Malia: What surprised me most was the “work hard, play hard” culture. Everyone is committed to their professionalism and work ethic but never lets it sacrifice their ability to let their personalities shine and enjoy every day. I especially appreciated having coworkers who both invited me to book club outside of work and mentored me on the clock.

  Ally: When I started at Infinite, the company’s supportive culture quickly exceeded any of my expectations. There was such a strong sense of community, and everyone was willing to help one another. People would regularly check in on my experience, making the transition smooth. Additionally, the coffee chats throughout the summer reinforced how genuine and eager everyone was to connect. And social events, such as the New York office field day, were great chances to bond with the peers around me. From my very first day in the office, I felt welcomed, valued, and supported. I’m thankful to everyone who made this experience so positive, and I look forward to staying in touch.

Charlie: I was super surprised by how kind everyone at the office was. Coming in, I did not know what to expect, but what I found was a business full of cheerful and friendly people. One minute, the office might be silent and focused, but the next, you will hear a group of people laughing or looking out the window together. From my first day, everybody was incredibly welcoming.

Is there a piece of advice or feedback you'll carry with you moving forward?

Malia: Attention to detail might seem obvious, but it is a piece of advice that never gets old, especially at Infinite. With so many clients and big law firms to attend to, a second look at an email, or a reread of a pitch goes a long way. Moving forward after my time here, I have come to appreciate the depth of time and detail that every piece of work requires.

Ally: My biggest takeaway is to ask questions. I heard countless times that you can’t learn if you don’t ask, which I found to be true. By staying curious throughout my various projects, my understanding of different concepts grew significantly, allowing me to contribute more efficiently to my teams. Everyone in the office was incredibly responsive and helpful, which made it a comfortable environment to learn and grow. By pushing myself to ask questions and gain clarity, I developed greater self-confidence, which will help me become a better communicator moving forward.

Charlie: As a high school senior, my vision for where I want my career to take me isn’t concrete. Across many conversations with different people at Infinite, I got the same piece of advice that I don’t really need to know yet. But what was more assuring than that advice was talking to them about their own careers and what led them to Infinite. One of the coolest things about Infinite is that they hire college graduates who majored in communications or public relations, but also those who majored in English or political science. Infinite hires people who have worked in PR before, but they also have several employees with a background in law and former journalists too. Seeing these different backgrounds has helped me be more confident about my own future.

What would you tell future Infinite interns to help them make the most of the experience?

Malia: Embrace every part of the internship. In my experience, I essentially moved to San Francisco alone. What gave me structure and optimism was always keeping an open mind and embracing what a well-oiled and friendly group of people I worked with. Don't be afraid to ask questions, share your thoughts, or accept feedback. Above all, take advantage of every opportunity during your time at Infinite.

Ally: Take advantage of every resource available to you! The company and its people are here to help interns grow professionally. This includes participating in coffee chats, attending social events, and seeking out opportunities to connect with those around you. By embracing these opportunities, the experience became even more engaging and rewarding. Most importantly, be yourself. It can be nerve-racking at first, but I feel fortunate to leave my internship with so many meaningful connections. Remember, everyone wants to see you succeed, so don’t be afraid to reach out and build relationships along the way.

Charlie: One of the biggest skills you will practice while you are here is reaching out and following up. As an intern, there are times when you need to ask somebody for a new project or remind somebody that they were supposed to send more details. But more importantly, public relations is a business where everybody gets tons of emails every hour. Emails are going to slip through the cracks sometimes. It’s important to be comfortable following up and asking questions too.

Huge thanks to Malia, Ally and Charlie for joining us this summer! If you'd like to find out more about life at Infinite, visit our Careers page.