Spring 2018 at GMMB: As Told by Our Interns

Our spring interns started back in January—and they haven’t stopped helping us change the world since. Each one of our interns has played a vital role in what we do here at GMMB, and they’ve made sure to soak up tons of knowledge in the process.

We know the internship experience has made for some interesting stories to tell, so we asked a few questions about what it’s like to intern at GMMB (and a couple of other things we were curious about). Check out what these clever minds had to say:

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Jackie McLaughlin

How will you continue to create real and lasting change after you’ve left us? Inspiring my peers to go out and vote in the 2018 elections! 2018 is such an important election year. Given the fact that my generation is not likely to vote, convincing just one person to cast their ballot would mean the world to me.

Top three Georgetown lunch spots. Go! The food trucks next to us are incredible! My favorite spot for lunch is Roaming Rooster, second place is the wood-fired pizza truck, and Bangkok Joe’s comes in third.

What’s your favorite GIF at the moment? My favorite GIF will always be the crying Kim Kardashian GIF. It sums up a feeling I think we all have sometimes.

 

Mikayla McCray-Ross

Top three Georgetown lunch spots. Go! Wisey’s, Sweetgreen, and the food trucks.

What’s your favorite GIF at the moment? Any GIF related to The Office!

What’s your favorite piece of jargon you learned or specific knowledge you acquired? I learned some design functions in Microsoft Word, which is cool because it’s not even design software.

 

Keshia Pimenta

Share some wisdom for interns to come. Don’t buy coffee from the Starbucks downstairs. There are (at least) five coffee machines in the office. Save your money.

Which partner would host the best IG takeover? Why? Annie Burns, because she’s hilarious.

How will you continue to create real and lasting change after you’ve left us? No matter where I end up, I always want to be the person who pushes for a diverse and inclusive workplace.

 

EB McCready

Which partner would host the best Instagram takeover? Why? I think Frank Greer’s takeover would be so entertaining because he knows EVERYONE, but he would also share random details that you probably wouldn’t expect.

Did you know what GMMB stood for before you started? Be honest! I had a friend who, in her words, met the “B” of GMMB (Annie Burns) at an event in DC before I even applied. So, I knew it stood for names.

Who were some of the cool people you sat by? Chelcie Gilliard is a rock star. She never shies away from controversial topics, but she also has the good judgment to know when to step back. Daily talks with her are both challenging and informative.

 

Toni DeGuzman

What would you do if it was impossible to fail? Women make up less than 28 percent of tech jobs, and only 11 percent of executive positions in Silicon Valley companies are held by women. I’d climb the corporate ladder and break that glass ceiling. #SheEO

What’s an interesting assignment you never expected to help on? One time I was asked to work the front desk; I had no idea interns could be recruited to do it. FYI, it’s a tough job, and Faye (our receptionist) is the heart and soul of GMMB.

What’s your copyediting pet peeve? The incorrect use of there, their, and they’re.

 

Penina Graubart

You’ve been given the chance to join the cast of your favorite TV show. Name the show and the role you’d star in. Definitely Anne Boleyn in The Tudors, but before she gets beheaded, obviously.

What were some of your desk essentials? Any awesome décor we should know about? I’m proud of my Harry Potter butterbeer mug that I use to hold my pens. Also, my desk is always covered in numerous colorful sticky notes and to-do lists. I love lists.

Share some wisdom for interns to come. Oh my, where to begin? Be open-minded and expect the unexpected. Be bold and take initiative, but also listen, learn, and absorb. Things tend to move fast here, so remember that a lot can happen in a short period of time.

 

Willie Nixon

What will you miss the most about interning at GMMB? The learning experiences. I’ve met so many interesting people during my time here and learned so much about their humble beginnings and how they landed here. It’s knowledge that can be applied to whatever you do in life.

What’s on your playlist when you want to be productive? My playlist varies so much on a daily basis. I’m probably one of the very few people who will start off with SWV or some Daft Punk, move into some old Nirvana, and then finish the day with some Donald Byrd or Mass Production.

Any weekly meetings or traditions on your team? I’m trying to start a tradition of cookies at every meeting…just a thought.

 

Nate Pasko

What GMMB advice was so good you’re now using it as a mantra? Learn on the job. It sounds obvious, but it’s a great reminder that not initially possessing the full range of knowledge for a task doesn’t have to be a barrier to entry. If you take the initiative to seek out resources and you can absorb information quickly, you’ll be able to handle just about anything.

What has your time at GMMB taught you? Outstanding results are achieved when driven, intelligent people take their work seriously (but don’t take themselves too seriously).

What’s your favorite piece of jargon you learned or specific knowledge you acquired? I learned a lot about the differences between digital media services and more traditional political advertising work. I also became intimately familiar with the Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voter Index.

 

Mikeela Murray

Georgetown Cupcakes or Baked & Wired? Georgetown Cupcakes. They were there at a marketing conference when I first met some amazing GMMBers, so I remain loyal. In fact, those cupcakes might be the reason I’m here today.

Who were some of the cool people you sat by? “Digital North” (as we were affectionately called) had some of the coolest folks: Stephen Henderson, Antonio Cordero, Beka Wueste, and Liz Jewell (whom we lost to our Seattle office, unfortunately). There was always intriguing conversation, digital-savvy chatter, and sometimes gushing stories about everyone’s four-legged friends.

What would you do if it was impossible to fail? Career-wise? I plan to head the corporate social responsibility department of a major fashion/product brand. Life-wise? I’m intent on helping provide opportunities for young people to discover their passions and turn them into fulfilling careers—especially careers in mass communication.

 

Sam Ewing

You’ve been given the chance to join the cast of your favorite TV show. Name the show and the role you’d star in. Either the woman who interviews the couples during the 90 Day Fiancé finales or Juana Inés on the Netflix show Juana Inés.

What’s on your playlist when you want to be productive? Classical music, most recently. 2Cellos is a group that does classical spins on modern music. I highly recommend that everyone check them out.

What GMMB advice was so good you’re now using it as a mantra? Cause the effect. I absolutely love it because it encompasses everything I feel about starting my professional career. I had a teacher in high school who told us, “You can work doing whatever you want, just make sure you’re working for the good guy.” I feel like causing the effect fits quite well into that.

 

Kelsey Lubatkin

Top three Georgetown lunch spots. Go! Sweetgreen (because who isn’t obsessed?), Chaia (who knew vegetarian tacos could be so good!?), and Bangkok Joe’s (YUM pad thai!).

What’s on your playlist when you want to be productive? I switch back and forth between John Mayer and Drake. Sometimes I need relaxing music to get work done (John Mayer), and other times when I feel like I need to power through, I switch to more upbeat music with Drake!

Share some wisdom for interns to come. Take initiative! What shocked me so much about this office was how friendly everyone is. Take advantage of it! Go on coffee meetings. Introduce yourself to people. Make yourself known and learn every chance you get. That’s the point of an internship!

 

Alexandria Myers

What GMMB advice was so good you’re now using it as a mantra? “Passion without discipline is void.” (Overheard at the company-wide International Women’s Day breakfast.)

What’s an interesting assignment you never expected to help on? I was able to help with Black History Month’s Trivia Night! Researching tricky questions for the trivia game was not only a learning experience, but also a lot of fun.

You’ve been given the chance to join the cast of your favorite TV show. Name the show and the role you’d star in. I’ve been binge-watching Living Single since it was recently uploaded on Hulu. I would love to star as Max because of her sharp tongue and quick wit, but Khadijah’s ambition is also inspiring.

 

Emmanuel Osikpa

What’s your favorite piece of jargon you learned or specific knowledge you acquired? Landscape analysis. It’s a scan of the specific client you’re doing work for and their competitors. This preliminary stage of gathering info helps with understanding the leverage your client has and how to best use it for their situation. (But honestly, I just love the name, so I will be repurposing this term for whatever suits the situation.)

What’s an interesting assignment you never expected to help on? Gathering a report on public opinion on gun violence.

What has your time at GMMB taught you? My time here has taught me that I’m getting closer to a world where what I work on will have an effect. Growing up, it’s easy to say you want to change the world, but working at GMMB has helped me get closer to actually doing it. Wherever I go from here, I’ll be even more prepared to make a positive difference.

 

Claire Oblinger

Which partner would host the best Instagram takeover? Why? Jim Margolis. Once, he walked by my desk and gave me one single pistachio. That type of randomness would make for a great IG takeover.

How will you continue to create real and lasting change after you’ve left us? I’m getting my paralegal certificate and pursuing a career in environmental law. I hope to be a part of holding countries and companies accountable for how they affect the environment and people around the world.

Who were some of the cool people you sat by? I sit by Jordan Treible and Jeff Mathews, who are also my supervisors—a quiet group with a great sense of humor. Jeff has so much knowledge about current events, and Jordan knows more about global nutrition than I thought was possible.

 

Gabriella Krevat

What were some of your desk essentials? Any awesome décor we should know about? A cup of coffee sits on my desk all day long. Coffee is essential.

What will you miss the most about interning at GMMB? Being constantly surrounded by a wealth of talent, experience, and passion. I also love the variety in backgrounds and skill sets within the office. There’s something to learn from everybody.

What GMMB advice was so good you’re now using it as a mantra? “Asking questions is a sign of intelligence.” —Peter Hutchins

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This group absolutely delivered on the talent and dedication we expect at GMMB, and we thank each of our interns for their hard work. We’re glad we could be a part of your professional journey and can’t wait to see what you’ll conquer next. Interested in a career at GMMB? Check out our open positions and apply today.