Alexandra Bordenkecher
Majors: PR & Strategic Communication and Political & Civic Communication
Corporate Communication Intern, Republic Airways
1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity?
My dad was extremely helpful during the process of finding potential internships. He has an old colleague who works at Republic and was able to look into their programs and find this internship for me.
2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship?
I was able to use a lot of the skills and resources I learned in my communication classes to help me during this internship. I think the most important thing I learned was the different environments that are available to work in. This summer, I worked in a corporate setting, 9-5, five days a week. I would love to be able to experience other environments to compare them!
3.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking for an internship?
Networking is key! If you have a specific industry to want to get into, ask family, professors, friends, or whoever if they know anyone or know anyone who knows someone in that industry. I would also recommend setting aside time every day to look for internships. You can start your search as early as September. It is better to get it set up early!
4.) What specific responsibilities have you undertaken during your internship?
In my internship, I did a lot of work on Canva. I created lots of flyers and digital signage to promote upcoming events at the company. I also did a lot of internal communication. Republic’s weekly newsletter gets sent to all 6000+ associates, and that was my responsibility for about half the summer.
5.) In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in your jon-ready program specifically aided your professional development?
The job-ready program was a significant help this summer. Because of this program, I was able to get college credit for my internship for hardly any cost. The course I took was one that fulfilled a requirement for my degree, so I was able to work and knock out some requirements at the same time. Without this program, I probably would not have been able to secure the much-needed credit.
6.) Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy?
Republic Airways is a regional airline that operates mostly on the East Coast of the country. 2024 marks Republic’s 50th anniversary, which was a huge milestone that we spent a lot of time planning events around. I was able to travel to Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., and Newark with Republic to meet our crews at their gates and gather content for promotions. I did not think I was going to travel at all this summer, let alone to some cities that I’ve never experienced before. The travel was definitely the most rewarding part of the internship as I was able to meet other people from corporate, flight attendants, pilots, maintenance workers, and so many others.