If you've ever tuned into a film or TV program, chances are you've seen an office intern relegated to menial tasks, like endless coffee runs. If that’s all there is to internships, why do them at all?
Over the summer, students combined their classroom knowledge with real-world experience to meet corporate vice presidents, design AI models, manage teams, and more. To differentiate real life from the big screen, we've paired up UNLV interns with film and TV counterparts.
Movie Version: Waitress Dreux Jones hopes to make it to her interview and become a franchise manager to an iconic L.A. restaurant in One of Them Days.
The UNLV Intern Version: Hospitality major Joseph Snyder manages a staff of 12 to 15 people for events of up to 400 guests as a banquet leadership intern for the The Union League of Philadelphia. He's gained experience in managing weddings, mitzvahs, graduation celebrations, corporate meetings, and golf outings.
His biggest takeaway? The power of taking the extra step to provide great service.
"The most memorable moments of this internship have been when I have been able to connect with the club's membership. The unique nature of private clubs compared to other facets of hospitality is the fact that you are serving the same people day after day, meaning that you are able to connect and create deep meaningful relationships with the people you serve day after day."
Show Version: In an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror, characters Frank and Amy meet on a dating app that uses a simulation to determine their compatibility.
The UNLV Intern Version: Computer science major Melissa Swinehart's main responsibility at the AI-EDGE Institute at the National Science Foundation was designing a generative AI model and training it with her own dataset. Starting with the basics, she learned about different machine learning models and how to train them, which came with mastering the math behind them.
"This internship boosted my confidence personally, academically, and professionally. Being confident in your work and clearly explaining it to others isn't always easy. This internship provided all the tools I needed, but the best part was creating something myself," Swinehart said.
"Once I started experimenting, I got to understand better how my mind works, what ideas I could come up with, how I could build on them, and how I could clearly explain it to other people. I absolutely loved my internship. It was my first real exposure to machine learning, and honestly, I fell in love. I enjoyed having the freedom to be creative, designing different models, and applying them to various use cases."
Movie Version: Set in the 1930s, a lobby boy becomes the protege to an eccentric concierge who's devoted wholly to providing first-class service in The Grand Budapest Hotel.
The UNLV Intern Version: Hospitality major Claiborne Ford's biggest takeaway in his internship at the Circa Resort and Casino is the importance of fostering great relationships in the field. Having insightful conversations with his superiors and company executives has helped develop his communications skills and prepare him for a career in hospitality.
"Out of all other internships I've worked, this one actually makes me feel like I am a part of the team and actively contributing rather than sitting and observing. There's so many different opportunities I've had that not only put a lot of pressure on myself but also completely immersed me in the casino business."
Show version: In the thrilling sci-fi drama Severance, office workers solve complex data puzzles during their 9-5 at Lumon Industries. Thanks to a controversial medical procedure, employees have no knowledge of their lives outside of the company and have no memories of the work they did in the office once they leave.
The UNLV intern version: Data refining isn't just for the employees at Lumon. Third-year business student Logan DeVito's innie interns for the Las Vegas Raiders. As part of the macrodata refinement team (we mean, ticketing and sales operations), DeVito researches apps, analyzes data, and builds connections to create high value, guest-focused experiences.
"Having this role has been nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have learned the importance of knowledge in all aspects of an organization. The biggest takeaway I've had from this internship is to learn everything, meet everyone, and focus on leaving feeling fulfilled and overly satisfied with the opportunity you were chosen for."
Show Version: Penelope Featherington balances two lives in Bridgerton – both of which carry different expectations and responsibilities.
The UNLV Intern Version: Journalism major Maia Perez is an assistant editor-in-chief for Franchise Sports Media and an intern at the UNLV Greenspun College of Urban Affairs communication office. On one hand she curates sports content, like her "2 Minute Drill with Maia" segment covering a number of athletic topics. On the other hand she's making graphics, conducting interviews, writing articles, and covering school events.
"Both [internships] are a great way to meet new people while trying a bunch of different tasks. Interviews, graphics, packages, writing- they're all touching different tasks in my field that help me create a more rounded, impressive resume."
Film Version: Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars, must rely on his wits and engineering skills to survive in The Martian.
The UNLV Intern Version: Mechanical engineering major Rabih Chaar interns with Rocket Lab as a fluid systems intern. He's been able to see the processes of making rocket hardware and apply his classroom learning to hands-on work.
"This internship has been a dream come true getting to work on a rocket development program. Something I've wanted to do since I was a kid I am now given the opportunity to try out. My team interacts with all systems on the rocket so you meet and learn a lot from the people around you. It's exactly the type of work I want to do when I graduate!"
Show Version: Alexis Rose makes the most of her family's unfortunate circumstance in Schitt's Creek by heading back to school for a career in marketing, where she puts her talents to use to uplift the local community.
The UNLV Intern Version: Marketing major Isabel Ritchie interns with the Henderson Silver Knights and Las Vegas Knight Hawks. She assisted in the planning and execution of marketing campaigns, community outreach events, juggled game day preparation, content creation, and promotions.
"The experience gave me hands-on exposure to the sports and entertainment industry. I now have a clearer vision of what it takes to work in sports marketing, from planning and execution to teamwork and adaptability. It also helped me build a solid foundation of experience that I can carry into future roles in the field."
