Verizon AdFellows – Alumni Spotlights highlight the success of THF interns with Verizon AdFellows, a Gold Level Diversity Partner and long standing supporter of the Foundation.
Kayla Seawood (THF ’18, 17)
Tell us about the Verizon AdFellows Program.
The Verizon AdFellows program is an eight-month long fellowship program in which 30 young professionals, from diverse backgrounds and work experiences, rotate different departments at Verizon and their partner agencies. This program is Verizon’s initiative to increase diversity and inclusion within the advertising industry. They aim to provide each fellow with a unique experience tailored to their interests and give access to a vast network of marketing and advertising professionals.
What did a typical day look like for you?
The majority of my roles were coordinator roles. My days varied because I rotated different department each rotation: Account Management, Copywriting, Video Production and Live events. Typically, I would check in with my team and see if I could support on something.
Which agencies did you work with as a part of your rotation?
MRY, Rauxa, Verizon 140 (in house agency) and Momentum Worldwide.
What did your duties include as a Verizon AdFellow?
Account management: writing up client feedback from meetings and transferring to internal decks. Assisting with production shoots, working with project management. Creating competitive analysis.
Copywriting: assisting the Verizon team with writing copy ideas for their email marketing.
Video production: editing in adobe premiere and creating string outs for the production team.
Live events: help produce the Adfellows graduations, helping with venue research, budgeting, vendor research, site visits.
What was one of your best experiences as an AdFellow?
Being able to help produce my own graduation.
What did you like most about the AdFellows program?
Meeting 29 other talented professionals that are now in my network.
Having access to senior executives at Verizon and partnered agencies
What were the most rewarding and challenging parts of your AdFellows experience?
Rewarding: The fact that I was able to complete the program and get a job afterwards at a company and team that I wanted to work on.
Challenging: Not being able to commit to an environment for 8 months.
How has the Verizon AdFellows program made an impact on your career?
I’ve learned so much and met so many people over the 8 months. I was able to experience different cultures and this has completely shifted my perspective when it comes to what I am looking for when it comes to a team, boss and company.
What advice would you give to THF interns as they being summer internships or careers in media?
- Be open to change and adapting to new spaces.
- Don’t be afraid to fail, this is a learning experience.
- Ask a lot of questions.
- Be intentional about what you are looking for out of this opportunity and voice it.