Intern Q&A with Tessa Flynn and Treasure Welle

We recently sat down with Treasure Welle, a rising senior at Emory University and a summer intern in our New York office, and Tessa Flynn, a rising senior at the University of California, Berkeley and a summer intern in our San Francisco office, to hear about their time interning with Infinite Global and what they learned during the course of the eight-week program.

Their time with us fostered their understanding of the industry and allowed them to contribute significantly to our dynamic work environment. The insights they gleaned during the program highlight their personal and professional growth, reinforcing the core values of Infinite Global. Through our detailed conversation, we delve into their experiences, valuable lessons and the skills they honed over their exciting summer stint with us. Discover how this enriching “Infinite Global Intern Experience” has shaped their perspectives and future aspirations.

Tell us about yourselves.

Tessa: I am a rising senior at UC Berkeley pursuing a BA in Media Studies with a concentration in Media Law & Policy. When choosing a major, I was conflicted between communications and political science. I had developed a passion for both, dipping my toe into journalism and documentary filmmaking. I was delighted to find a major incorporating both concentrations, with an interdisciplinary element that exposes me to various subject areas.

I am originally from Mill Valley, California, about 20 minutes from San Francisco and 40 minutes from Berkeley. Growing up and attending university in the Bay Area has given me a deep appreciation for all it offers, including the beautiful natural landscape, beloved sports teams and lively downtown areas. When I am home, I enjoy spending time with my two cats, Ziggy and Ricky Bobby, and driving into San Francisco to check out live music and delicious food spots. I am also a film buff, so you often find me at the local theater watching new A24 productions. I love to travel when possible—my most recent trips were to Prague and Mallorca.

Treasure: I am a rising senior at Emory University, double majoring in Spanish and Philosophy, Politics, and Law on the pre-law track. I am a tutor at Emory’s Writing Center, where I aid undergraduate and graduate students with writing in both English and Spanish. I have also participated in community service on Emory’s campus and in the greater Atlanta area as a member of Emory’s Woodruff Scholar’s community and as the programming chair for Uplifting Marginalized Mothers and Individuals (UMMI). In the latter role, I organize community service events to aid refugees, incarcerated people, and their families. As a child of two Nigerian immigrants, this work is especially important and rewarding to me. I apply my interest in communications and public relations to each of these organizations, utilizing storytelling methods such as podcasts, mini-documentary series and social media to further their critical messages.

Outside of work and community service roles, I belong to three performing arts groups: AHANA a Capella, VOIS Gospel Choir, and Zuri African Dance Troupe. While I am not the best dancer, being a part of Zuri has allowed me to connect with other Africans on Emory’s campus.

Although I have spent the past few years in Atlanta, I am a native New Yorker. I am originally from Queens and later moved to the suburbs of New York. New York City is my favorite city in the world, and I am thrilled to be home for the summer. In my free time, I love listening to and playing music—I am a huge Beyonce fan—and watching foreign movies and TV shows.

What has surprised you most about the internship so far?

Tessa: I was most surprised by the degree to which I have been treated as part of the Infinite team. As a college intern, I managed my expectations of how much I would accomplish within a brief eight-week period. I was prepared to do typical intern busy work. My expectations were exceeded as early as day one. Treasure and I received the same onboarding training as any other full-time employee at Infinite, giving us exposure to a plethora of expertise. I composed company-wide emails, completed projects for client teams across offices and engaged directly with senior-level employees. Despite being new to the company, I was trusted with delivering timely and salient work.

Treasure: What surprised me most was the kindness of the Infinite Global team. When we began this internship, Tessa and I were thrust into the world of PR and tasked with researching and pitching unfamiliar topics. I quickly learned that when someone at Infinite says, “I’m happy to help,” they genuinely mean it. When I was confused by unfamiliar financial topics, my teammates were eager to give me a quick breakdown and compile a cheat sheet for my morning news reads. Additionally, our supervisor consistently checked in on us, asked if we needed assistance and ensured we were not overwhelmed by our workload. This made my introduction to PR that much more seamless.

What was your favorite project that you worked on during the internship, and why?

Tessa: During the internship, Treasure and I interviewed Infinite employees across offices and seniority levels to create a comprehensive list of recommended news resources—including podcasts, daily digests, alerts, and more. Future new hires will use the list to acclimate to the media landscape—particularly the legal media—and get a sense of where our staff turn for their news.

Completing the newsletter project gave me an incredibly rewarding opportunity to connect with Infinite employees outside of the San Francisco office. It also exposed me to news media I had never heard of, including up-and-coming sites like The Skimm and Semafor. And, I was happy to play a principal role in a project that would become part of Infinite’s toolbox.

Treasure: I would also highlight the newsletter project. As someone who loves reading the news in all different forms, from traditional articles to news meme pages and podcasts, it was a fascinating look at the different news sources people at Infinite rely on for their client teams. I also was able to see how roles at Infinite differ from each other from the perspective of which news sources people rely on.

What skills were you able to foster throughout this internship?

Tessa: Throughout the internship, I fostered effective writing, project management and professional communication skills. I entered Infinite with a strong background in academic writing, but I had less experience PR writing such as pitches to journalists and client-facing media ops. Through training and hands-on experience, I gained a knack for synthesizing complex legal jargon as readable content for varied audiences.

I also managed long-term client team projects alongside immediate media opportunities, which provided valuable lessons in what and when to prioritize—and how to communicate my bandwidth.

Treasure: Above all else, I strengthened my practical organizational skills. Managing competing project deadlines while being assigned new tasks required some adjustment. However, I was able to organize and manage tasks effectively by leaning on skills I had already acquired. When assigned a project, I constantly communicated with others about soft and hard deadlines to ensure the project was completed on time. Infinite encourages teamwork, so I could always lean on my team members for guidance and assistance, ensuring my tasks were completed as efficiently as possible.

What aspect of the internship most aligned with the interests you had prior?

Tessa: I’ve been drawn to journalism for a long time, having been a reporter for my high school paper. At UC Berkeley, I take courses in the journalism minor and make sure to read a diversity of news sources. I’ve developed a passion for media literacy as a byproduct, and I have done past advocacy work for media literacy training in schools. As the news landscape becomes ever more digital, we all need the tools to intuit reputable sources and stories. My journalism focus has translated directly to my work at Infinite, whether it be researching publications, identifying reporters or surfing daily news coverage for earned media opportunities.

Concerning Infinite Global’s legal focus, I have always entertained the possibility of law school. My mother is an attorney, and she has been foundational for my understanding of the legal sector. This internship vastly expanded my knowledge in that area.

Treasure: I have always loved reading the news, but I had never done it in a targeted fashion for a client—an integral part of the internship. You often learn topics on the fly, and the added challenge of figuring out how clients’ work fits into the news cycle kept my work interesting. Now, I better understood how companies like Infinite Global represent their clients while learning more about technology, energy, private equity and other complex industries.

Coming into this internship, I was also very interested in crisis communications. My limited understanding of the field mostly consisted of watching Scandal. Through trainings and exposure to Infinite’s crisis team, I learned more about how media strategists manage crises, which only deepened my interest.

What’s next for you as you enter your senior year of college?

Tessa: I am looking forward to taking advantage of all that my undergraduate experience has to offer. Having graduated high school and entered university virtually amid a global pandemic, my experience has not been typical. The last three years have gone by in a blink, and I want make a conscious effort to experience in-person education to its fullest: attending class in giant lecture halls, engaging in discussion sections with my peers, going to speaker series, cheering on UC Berkeley at sports games and more. As for postgrad, I intend to move to New York City to experience life on the East Coast and hopefully be employed in a communications-based role (with a preference for public affairs).

Treasure: My plan for senior year consists of completing my honors thesis, finishing my law school applications and enjoying my last year on Emory’s campus. My time at Emory began during a pandemic; after online classes my first year and studying abroad during my second year, I barely spent time on campus. During my final year, I plan to take part in every campus tradition, ensuring that I get an authentic college experience despite my abnormal start. Mostly, I want to enjoy my last year of freedom before I enter the real world. After graduating, I plan on taking time off before attending law school. During my gap year, I hope to continue building on my experience in public-facing communications.

Interested in becoming an intern at Infinite Global?

Start your professional journey today and gain valuable hands-on experience that goes beyond the classroom. Click here to explore our Internship Programs and join the Infinite Global legacy.