FIU students land coveted Hallmark internships

Two FIU undergraduate advertising students were selected for prestigious summer internships at Hallmark Cards, Inc. More than 1,100 students from schools and universities around the country applied for 13 intern slots.

Noel Walter and Christina Zayas, students at FIU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, were chosen for the summer internships, which are available in areas including accounting, creative, finance, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and retail. Walter was also selected to be Student of the Year in the Advertising Department.

The selection process for the internships is extremely competitive. “We get applications from students all over the U.S., so its’ quite impressive that two interns from FIU were selected for our class of 13 interns,” said Sarah Burton, creative recruiter at Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Candidates for writing internships complete several writing and editing assignments developed and evaluated by Hallmark administrators. Students interested in visual arts internships submit portfolios of their artistic work for consideration. Other criteria for selection include students’ academic coursework and standing, communication skills and recommendations from professors.

The 12-week internship program, which runs from May through early August, is based at the company’s world headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.  Interns are considered full professional members in the studios they work for, and assignments vary in scope and length. Student interns have opportunities to work on real projects, make significant contributions and interact with employees throughout the company.

Participating in the internships helps students to forge ahead in their professional careers, enhancing their resumes and qualifications and enabling them to establish valuable contacts.

“It is such an honor that our exceptional and talented students were selected for the Hallmark internships,” said Margo Berman, associate professor of advertising at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “They provide a rich opportunity for our students to get real-world experience and work with some of the top professionals in the industry.”