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.
Tatiana Cadet (THF ’18, ’17)
Tell us about the Verizon AdFellows Program.
The AdFellows program is an 8-month rotational fellowship providing recent graduates a diverse client and agency experience in the marketing and advertising industry. The program aims to provide the participants valuable experience across Verizon’s several marketing functions, from creative and media to public relations.
What did a typical day look like for you?
A typical day involved lots of meetings, note taking, checking in with my buddy/manager, scheduling check-ins and informationals with other co-workers.
Which agencies did you work with as a part of your rotation?
The agencies I rotated with were Zenith, Verizon, mcgarrybowen, & Accenture Interactive
What did your duties include as a Verizon AdFellow?
Overall, my duties as an AdFellow included working on an 7-month long project with my assigned adfellow team. We were also required to attend monthly conference calls, workshops, and professional development sessions. My duties varied during each rotation. My first rotation at Zenith, I was on the Strategic Media Planning team for Verizon Fios. At Verizon, I worked alongside the internal communications team. At mcgarrybowen, I was on the account management team for Verizon & at Accenture Interactive I was on the project management team.
What was one of your best experiences as an AdFellow?
The best experience was taking the lead of a project at Verizon and watching it develop from brainstorm to conception.
What did you like most about the AdFellows program?
I liked that I was allowed to learn from some amazing people
What were the most rewarding and challenging parts of your AdFellow experience?
The most rewarding part of my adfellow experience was definitely graduation. It was an opportunity to see the fruits of my labor, connect with the other adfellows, reflect on orientation and how I’ve grown through the experience, and network with so many people both old and new.
The most challenging part was having to adjust to a new “everything” every two months. New system, processes, environments, co-workers, transit method, company culture, etc.
How has the Verizon AdFellows program made an impact on your career?
The program exposed me to an industry that was never on my radar. It provided me with invaluable exposure to the day-to-day life of client and agency professionals first hand. The program has expanded my network and viewpoint. It revealed to me my passion and true calling.
What advice would you give to THF interns as they being summer internships or careers in media?
The best advice I can give is seize every opportunity and give it your all. Two months goes by extremely fast and you don’t want to leave any rotation with regret. Go to all the events, connect with all the execs, ask questions, and embrace this unique opportunity to be a pupil and absorb all the information you can to set yourself up for success when the program is finished.