Julia Weinberger is a student in the M.S. in Global Hospitality Management program at the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. In this post, she tells us more about her internship this summer semester.
Where are you interning and what is your job title?
I am interning at AKA, a luxury extended-stay hotel residence currently located in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington, and London. My job title is Marketing Intern.
What projects have you been working on so far?
I have been working on the company’s social media presence, public relations, and digital marketing strategy with outside agencies. I also helped prepare the creative marketing development brief, update the creative request form, and brainstorm on executing packages and promotions for various property locations.
Have there been any challenges in your internship so far? If so, how have you learned to overcome them?
The most challenging aspect of my internship was starting a new role remotely. It made it more difficult to immerse myself in the brand and understand company culture to learn and understand my role and responsibilities as the marketing intern. Fortunately, my supervisors were very understanding of this and did their best to keep me in the loop by inviting me to listen in on most meetings and frequently checking in.
What do you hope to take away from your internship?
What I love about marketing is the flexibility to be both creative and analytical. The intersection of marketing and hospitality intrigues me, and the internship solidified my passion by exposing me to various facets of these disciplines. It was a very dynamic time to be working for AKA during the pandemic as the business model became very popular. I was able to take a lot away from the experiences the internship provided and learn from the people I was exposed to. I am really excited to watch how the company will capitalize on what it has built so far and continue to grow.
What are your future plans?
I still have one year left at NYU and afterwards I plan to stay in New York City. I think it is a fantastic place to learn about and experience the hospitality industry. The talent you are exposed to and the opportunities available here are unparalleled. I aspire to find a marketing role in the Food & Beverage or luxury accommodation industries.