Where Creatives Go to Work: My Internship Experience at REC Philly
This past semester, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at REC Philly as a Marketing Assistant. I was able to dive into new aspects of marketing, gain hands-on experience, and grow both personally and professionally. As a senior at Temple University majoring in Advertising with a focus on Art Direction, this role took me out of my usual creative comfort zone and into the realm of digital marketing, event production, and SEO. It was a refreshing challenge, and I loved every minute of it.
My main responsibilities involved working on email and SMS marketing campaigns, optimizing SEO for REC Philly’s membership page, and assisting as a production assistant during REC events. Each day was different and kept me on my toes, whether I was crafting marketing communications for 800+ active members or ensuring that an event went off without a hitch.
The highlight of my internship was undoubtedly working on the Joefreshgoods creator talk. As a production assistant for the event, I had a front-row seat to seeing how REC brings creative conversations to life. My role was to help ensure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes, from setting up the event space to supporting the creative team in any way needed. I also contributed to pushing promotional material, which made it even more rewarding to see such a successful turnout and hear insightful discussions from a legendary creator like Joefreshgoods. Being part of such a high-profile event taught me a lot about the intersection of marketing, production, and creative storytelling.
While working on email and SMS marketing, as well as SEO optimization, wasn’t my initial career focus, I’m glad I explored these new avenues. Though I prefer the art direction side of advertising, I gained valuable skills in data-driven marketing that will make me more well-rounded in my field. Knowing how to balance creativity with strategic execution is something I will carry with me as I move forward in my career.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my internship was being part of the REC Philly community. REC is truly the best place to work if you’re a creative. It’s a hub of innovation and collaboration, where everyone is encouraged to think outside the box and push boundaries. The team is passionate, driven, and always ready to support each other, making it an environment where you can learn and thrive no matter what aspect of the creative industry you’re interested in.
Overall, my experience at REC Philly was invaluable, and I’m grateful for all the opportunities I had to grow as a marketing assistant intern. From the Joefreshgoods creator talk to working on marketing campaigns, I learned that every aspect of advertising, from strategy to execution, plays an important role in delivering great creative work.
