(Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of stories about internships being completed by students in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — She’s curious and persistent, willing to embrace the unknown, and that combination has worked well for one Penn State student.
Bryn Malizia’s latest success includes an internship with the Tribeca Festival — the New York City-based event that features films, music, storytelling and much more.
“Honestly, I really had no idea how big it was at first. I was looking, found the position through LinkedIn and it sounded interesting,” said Malizia, who will earn her bachelor’s degree in advertising/public relations in December 2024, several months earlier than initially planned. She’s adding a minor in digital media trends and analytics. “After I started digging into it more, it took me off guard how good it was — and when you tell people you’re working at Tribeca they always want to know more. It’s really cool to be part of something so creative.”
Malizia started April 29 and the position runs through June 21. The famous festival itself runs June 5-16.
She works 20 hours a week, typically four days a week, with one eight-hour day and three four-hour days. Her first two weeks were remote, from her home in Dresher, Pennsylvania, but she's been in New York City since the final week of May and will stay through the completion of the internship.
Because she plans to graduate early, in December 2024, her family offered financial support for the opportunity to live in the New York metro area as a pre-graduation present this summer.
Malizia’s initial internship duties have ranged from the seemingly mundane and necessary to hands-on, higher-profile opportunities like conducting interviews on the red carpet during the festival. She also conducted research that shaped what questions were asked. She created social media toolkits, compiled and scheduled social media posts, and evaluated social media metrics. With her understanding of those analytics, she selected photos form events and red carpets that she believed would perform best on social media.
The internship has provided Malizia the opportunity to hone her digital analytics skills and shape metrics in a real-life setting. In addition, she added duties related to marketing and social media content. She’s found an affinity for all that entails, and it has reshaped her initial career goals — opening the idea of positions related to marketing as well as analytics.
Her versatility and willingness to embrace any challenge has been important.
“I enjoy both analytics and social media content,” Malizia said. “Honestly, I think my marketing internship with the Berkey Creamery really helped in so many ways.”
Yes, before Tribeca she worked at the Creamery — two iconic brands, and determination played a role in both opportunities. She reached out with little background to that LinkedIn ad for the Tribeca spot, but she knew all about the Creamery thanks to parents who attended Penn State.
Still, when she first applied to the Creamery, the position was already filled. She followed up anyway, passionately and persistently.
“I just reached out letting them know I would still love to be a part of it. I wrote a whole cover letter comparing myself to Alumni Swirl,” said Malizia who admits her alumni parents instilled a passion for the Creamery almost from birth. ”I did worry that I was badgering them, but then I realized the worst thing they could say was ‘no.’”
It was a “yes,” though, and Malizia has built upon her curiosity, persistence and talent to craft an abundance of success — which she hopes leads to even more opportunities and accomplishments.