Interning with an industry giant
Few companies can boast the type of instant brand recognition that Nike has achieved. Throughout the decades, the sports apparel and equipment giant has produced some of the most iconic advertisements worldwide.
None of that intimidates Morgan Reno, a strategic communication major and senior, who is an intern at Nike this summer
“It’s cool to work for a company that is so big in the advertising industry and there’s so many possibilities and connections I can make," says Reno, whose concentration is in advertising. “I’m definitely very excited.”
As a global integrated media intern, Reno works with Nike’s media team as part of the larger advertising department. Her main duty is to create keynote decks: slideshow presentations that inform employees about all the specifics of upcoming products and projects.
The position also integrates social media strategies. For one keynote deck, Reno created a presentation detailing the best strategies for posting on different social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
Like all things Nike, the internship embraces the thrill of competition. At the end of the summer, Reno will compete in the “Intern Combine Project,” a challenge for all interns to create the best possible brief, with the top three earning a chance to present their ideas to Nike executives.
Another major aspect of interning for the company is community, and interns are encouraged to meet new people around the campus and attend events, Reno says. "They really emphasize meeting a bunch of different people, including the major people on campus like the execs."
While the Nike environment is new to Reno, she has good reason to feel at home this summer. Originally from Lake Oswego, Oregon, Reno grew up less than 10 miles from Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Both towns are suburbs of the Portland metro area.
To earn the competitive internship, Reno navigated several rounds of interviews, all while studying abroad in Florence, Italy.
After graduation, she plans to use her experience at Nike and her degree from CMCI to pursue a career as an account manager, preferably for a large company like Nike.
“I think I’ll feel more prepared for what I want to do and what I don’t really like," she says. "I’ll feel more prepared to find something I’m passionate about.”