Intern Katharine Graham tells us thoughts on her Cookson Communications internship opportunity and explains her love of cubicles.
Who am I?
I was raised in Darien, Connecticut, by my two loving parents who always encouraged my older sister and me to work hard. My parents taught me that if you are willing to work hard, you’ll go a long way. I think my dedication and desire to work and gain experience comes from my father. He taught me everything I know about business. When I was younger, I remember my father working harder than anyone I knew and I always admired that. I wanted to be just like him; he was strategic and smart, but humble.
I started skiing at age two, and my childhood included ski racing in Vermont every weekend. I loved skiing so much that I based my college search on whether or not the school had an alpine team or a club team. This led me to decide on Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. The varsity alpine ski team was impossible to resist, even though I miss my two cats, Beignet and DuMonde, who are back home in Connecticut. They’re my best friends (just kidding).
Why am I here?
When I was 16, I decided to pursue a different internship every summer so I had a diverse range of experience before entering college, and that’s exactly what I did. I dabbled in multiple areas, leaving me confused about what I wanted to study. My mother encouraged me to focus on the position I’d want when I graduated from college, instead of on the major. While sitting on that advice, I realized my strengths included communications, understanding social media and client relations and my natural ability to quickly connect with personalities of all kinds. That’s how I settled on communications.
Fast forward to 2019. I am a senior at Saint Anselm College with a major in communications and a minor in psychology and studio arts (graphic design). I chose to study psychology because I love understanding why people communicate and interact the way they do. I chose graphic design because I love the creative process that goes into every project.
Why Cookson?
When I started planning my senior semester of college, I knew I wanted to work while taking classes. I need to complete the requirements for my minor, so my schedule includes two art classes and two internships: the perfect balance to start getting experience in the field I want to eventually transition into. When I was younger, I dreamed of being in a work environment where the people have your best interest in mind and you get your own workspace (i.e. a cubicle). That was my childhood dream. Not purses and shoes: the cubicle.
When I first sat down for my in-person interview with Dia, I quickly knew Cookson was the place for me. The interview didn’t start with the standard questions about how or why I would be a good fit as a communications intern, but rather it turned into more of a friendly conversation. The conversation flowed and the environment was welcoming. I’d never felt that before in an interview. I didn’t feel pressured to share my most successful business moments. During the interview, I talked about who I am as a person and how I got to where I am today. The conversation made me very excited for the next 15 weeks at Cookson.
Plus, Cookson Communications has cubicles.
I have plans for my time here
There’s only so much you can learn from a textbook, but practical experience offers another type of education. Because I have a range of experiences, I am excited to learn more about the strategy behind communications, public relations, social media and website design.
I look forward to my spring semester (goodbye -1 degree, hello warmer weather) and to growing my skills with Cookson Communications.
Let’s check back in at the end of 15 weeks. I’ll let you know what I learned.
Graham is a senior at Saint Anselm College majoring in communications, with a minor in psychology and studio arts. A fashion enthusiast who also enjoys adventuring outdoors and an avid skier, she excels at video creation, social media strategy and implementation and communications.
