Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a series of articles about students in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications completing summer internships.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Emmy Vitali got involved almost immediately when she arrived on campus and has not slowed down a bit during her career at Penn State, including a stop this summer in Buffalo.
To be clear, it’s not a stop so much as another building block for success.
Vitali, a rising senior telecommunications major, secured a position this summer as a graphic design intern for the Buffalo Bisons, a Triple-A baseball team. She previously completed sports-related internships with the Sanford Mainers, a baseball team in Sanford, Maine, and the Cotuit Kettleers, a team in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
In addition, she has worked for Penn State Athletics as a marketing and fan experience/game day intern, as well as a live video production assistant.
“It was hard for me not go into sports,” Vitali said. “I feel like I’ve been sort of conditioned to it.”
After competing in high school sports, Vitali, from Kennebunkport, Maine, found many opportunities to gain experience and get connected at Penn State. One of the first places was CommRadio, the streaming station based in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. She serves as CommRadio’s social media director — an opportunity built on increasing levels of responsibility through the years.
Her internship this summer fits the multi-talented Vitali perfectly because it’s not limited to graphic design, and not limiting at all. She works closely with her supervisor, and her designs show up on email advertising, social media posts, merchandise, TV assets, the team’s video board and more.
She’s been able to showcase her other skills and work ethic as well.
“What’s great about this internship is they’ve seen my photography work and they’ve asked me to shoot some photos, too,” she said. “The internship has provided a lot of flexibility and great variety of experience.”
Along with graphic design and photography, she has helped operate the team’s video board and get more experience with event management and game day presentation. Because the Bisons are affiliated with their nearby major league parent club, the Toronto Blue Jays, people at the MLB organization have seen her work as well.
After starting the internship in mid-May, Vitali will be in Buffalo until about a week before fall semester classes begin.
When she returns to campus, she’ll be busy with classes, her positions in Penn State Athletics and, of course, CommRadio, which has been a vital connecting point and resource throughout her time at Penn State. She relied on more experienced CommRadio students — specifically citing Brian McLaughlin, Kyle Cannillo and Josh Starr — as people who have helped her get connected and find success.
She’s excited to do that for others as she gets ready for her final academic year.
“When I came here, I had a lot of things to learn and people to lean on,” she said. “People like that helped to make it a seamless transition for me. It’s gone by so quickly. It feels like I was a freshman just last year. Now I’m one of the more experienced people and it’s great to be in a place to help others like people helped me.”