Environment & Initial Impressions at CONAN

Environment/Initial Impressions

I am now ending the first week of my production internship at CONAN and it has been amazing thus far.  I have to admit it was surreal driving for the first time to the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank and walking onto the stage where CONAN is filmed.  While the stage itself was new to me, I was surprised to learn that the office at CONAN is much like other offices with cubicles, a mailroom, kitchen, etc. 

Upon arriving on my first day, I met with my boss, filled out some paperwork, and was then given a tour of the office, stage, and other significant places on the lot by a couple of veteran interns.  The dress code at the office is very casual-- jeans and sundresses.  However, while the dress code is more casual than other places I have worked and suggests a relaxed environment, people are still very serious about running a successful TV show.  

The office is very diverse with employees of various ages, races, backgrounds, etc.  It seemed like there are a lot of younger employees (20s and 30s), however there are also older employees, many of whom who have been with Conan from the beginning- when he first hosted Late Night in 1993.  I would also say that there is a relatively even distribution of males and females on staff.  I think this diversity is especially beneficial to the show as it lends to the creation of content that is relevant and humorous to a wide demographic. 

There is also a lot of diversity among the interns with people coming from various colleges, majors, interests, etc.  This surprised me as I assumed most of the interns would be from Southern California.  However, in addition to me there are two other interns from Michigan, both of whom go to Michigan State.  While we go to rival schools, we have become fast friends and it has been awesome to experience living in a new place with them!

I am still learning many of the rules and protocols at Conan, however there are some important ones I have been informed of so far.  One rule involves confidentiality and interns and other staff must be careful about taking pictures at work and posting them to social media. I thought I would mention this in case anyone wonders why I am unable to post pictures of the studio to this blog.  Another rule is that interns should refrain from bugging celebrities for photos, autographs, questions, etc.  I completely understand the importance of keeping a low profile among stars, as I am at my job, and thus I should treat celebrities as important, respected clients instead of acting like a star-struck fan. 

So far it has been amazing to witness and take part in the many different tasks that are involved in producing a late night talk show.  I am excited for next week and can’t wait to share more with everyone.  Also, I thought I would include this video, which is a remote of Conan and the spring interns from a couple of months ago, incase you want to see the kitchen/area where I work.  -- Kathleen 

P.S. The picture below is from an after-work trip to the Warner Bros. Museum's Harry Potter exhibit.  

Inside the ER: Second Week at EMRAP

My second week at the ER was even better than the first week! Maybe it is because I am finally becoming familiar with the hospital, or maybe it is because I shadowed an amazing physician and a very social nurse? Well, no matter what the reason is, I truly have had an enjoyable week.

While everyone enjoyed the outdoors on Memorial Day, I was shadowing a physician at the ER, and I loved every minute of it. My first encounter with the physician was in the trauma room, which somewhat set the tone for the rest of my day. I had to stand in the corner of the room, as I watched the physician and his team perform several measures to save the patient. I was amazed by how these team of doctors and nurses worked: they were somewhat loud because they were throwing in ideas, worked quickly and efficiently, and seemed like a family. After the patient was stabilized, the physicians requested some lab works, and I finally met the physician who I was shadowing for the day.

The doctor was extremely nice, and he seemed to be very knowledgeable. He was also very understanding when I did not know certain terms or certain conditions; he took his time to carefully explain details of certain procedures or of certain illnesses. I also witnessed how well he responded to stressful situations. Apart from the trauma incident, in which he did a spectacular job of stabilizing the patient, he also did a great job when dealing with a highly distressed patient. The patient was not responding well to the other physicians and nurses, but the physician that I shadowed calmed him down. As I mentioned in my previous blog, doctors have the ability to communicate with patients in order to tell the patients the important details of their medical care. The physician calmed him down by first talking about the weather and by being sympathetic to the patient. Eventually, the patient agreed to have the whole bowel irrigation procedure because the doctor was able to reassure him.

During the different Memorial Day incidents, I noticed a certain hierarchy at the ER. The doctors seemed to have the power to diagnose the patients, and the nurses also had the power to help doctors by determining certain vitals and keeping a close watch on the patients. Even though there seems to be a hierarchy, each person on the medical staff has an important role. Also, I noticed how certain roles have different dress codes. For instance, technicians wore green scrubs, nurses wore royal blue scrubs, doctor wore lighter blue scrubs, medical scribes wore grayish blue scrubs, and clerks and research assistants wore business casual. These different dress codes helps with the identification of certain roles in order to minimize confusion and to help with identification during stressful situations (ie. trauma rooms).  Though, as part of EMRAP, we have to wear white coats similar to the physicians. I feel that this causes confusion for patients because white coats often indicate doctors. I have to constantly introduce myself as a student whenever I see a patient to help them understand my role; yet, at the same time, having a white coat makes me look more official and reliable.

The day after Memorial Day, I had to shadow a nurse at the Senior Emergency Department. The ER is separated into different teams: Team 1, Team 2, Team 3 (Lean Track), Team 4(Senior ED), and Pediatrics. These different units helps with the flow of the hospital and to help minimize patient waiting time. The Lean Track deals with patients who have lower acuity levels and whose ailments can be quickly handled. Team 1 and Team 2 are reserved for more serious illnesses. The Senior ED and the Pediatric ED units are specifically designed for certain age groups. I truly appreciate the idea of the Senior ED (which is only about 3 years old at SJMHS) because there are several people of the baby boomer generation that need health care. The Senior ED has different functions on the bed and are designed to be comfortable for seniors.

The nurse I shadowed seemed very kind towards the patients, and talked to the senior patients with respect. Due to his demeanor, the patients would seem a little calmer. From the nurse, I learned how important it is to take the time to get to know your patients: every movement could indicate the health of a patient, every memory or lack of memory can indicate something, and every gait or every step can indicate pain. I realized how hard it must be for nurses because they have to keep tabs on several patients, have to deal with administering medication, and have to deal with more patient interaction. They can see the progress or the decline of a patient, which can either be rewarding or heartbreaking. To all the nurses out there, thank you very much for your hard work!

(A view of The Garden on the 4th Floor where I took my lunch break on Memorial Day)

Every Friday, we have class in which we learn about our roles and the different studies that we have to do for clinical research. This particular Friday, we learned about The Belmont Report, Informed Consent, and HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act). Due to HIPAA, I am limited to what I can share to people. So, I'm extremely sorry for not being too detailed about certain cases because I am not truly allowed to say certain things (so I feel it's better to not mention some things).  Apart from learning these subjects, I learned something about the different personalities of my colleagues. In the group, James seems so wise! He asks several questions and often seeks the meaning behind other questions; it's really quite impressive! Christina and Alina are extremely sweet, and Haitham and Theo are both quiet but seem funny. I'm still not too familiar with the others, but I hope that I can get to know them more next week! It seems that there are more boys than girls in the group, but everyone seems to be getting along! 

(A view of SJMHS from where I park) 

Environment and Initial Impressions

After completing just one week at MAN Marketing, I feel as though I have already learned so much. MAN Marketing is an advertising and digital marketing agency that offers several services ranging from television commercials, radio commercials, media buying, print advertising, internet marketing, social media and more. The building is very large and has not only offices but a recording studio, green screen and several viewing rooms as well.

Everyone has been going out of his or her way to make sure I feel welcome and comfortable here. The dress code is business casual which sets a more formal atmosphere to the office. There is a pretty even distribution of males and females that encompass a wide range of ages. I observed that the diversity in age allows for more creativity from the different perspectives put into every idea. 

My Desk (located right next
to my manager)

During my first two days I was assigned to shadow a couple of my colleagues to learn the ropes of the business and become proficient with their main computer program called AdTracker. Although AdTracker is very confusing, I now understand it well enough to use it on my own. Later in the week I attended a meeting at a motorcycle dealership called American Heritage Motorcycles. The purpose of the meeting was to learn about the company so that MAN marketing could later create a script for a 30 second commercial for American Heritage. My manager had me take extensive notes on the meeting that he would later use when creating the script. It was very interesting to learn about the thought processes behind commercials.

This week I also sat in on an audio recording for a Toyota Auto Dealership. I can already tell that this internship will involve many hands-on opportunities. I appreciate my coworkers’ obvious concern in ensuring that I gain a lot of learning experience in the marketing world and am excited to see what the rest of the summer will bring.  

Environment/ Initial Impressions

I essentially had no expectations going into my internship in the Marketing Department at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. This is mostly because I had no idea how marketing served a purpose in a research hospital that provides inpatient and outpatient care. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the office was constantly buzzing and there are a wide variety of functions the department serves.

            I caught on quickly to the dynamic of the office thanks to the welcoming Marketing team I was working with, as well at the development department that they worked side by side with. My employer, Richard Sgaglio, Ph.D., Director of Marketing and External Relations, creates a very efficient atmosphere. While there is a sense of urgency for many projects, I wouldn’t say the office suffers a sense of high anxiety or tension. Each person serves a role and covers certain territory. Richard is the one to answer to, but he does not set up a intimidating hierarchy.

            The one aspect I did anticipate correctly was the dress code. There is not much judgment in the small Marketing and Development wing, but the typical outfit could be defined by fancier business casual (kind of redundant, I know). Besides Richard, the office is only women, who usually wear dresses, skirts, or blouses with a blazer. I believe this attire speaks more to the kind of work the employees do, organizing events, external communication, and donor relations. If everyone showed up in their pajamas the level of respect from outside the office and within the two departments would be drastically lowered.

            It is easy to forget that even in a hospital there is always a business side. I would say that I was pleasantly surprised and look forward to the rest of my internship. 

Sporting Kansas City Internship - Environment/ Initial Impressions

I am interning for my hometown's professional soccer team, Sporting Kansas City. I have just completed my first week and have learned a lot. While I have not formally started my sales training yet, I have still been introduced to product knowledge (stadium layout, ticket prices, group deals). Also, I am in the midst of researching architectural firms in the Kansas City area, and pretty soon, the staff will be reaching out to these firms to offer deals, like client/employee appreciation opportunities. Finally, I have already attended two games in which I assisted the staff in facilitating group experiences. For instance, we checked-in kids who had qualified to hold the players’ hands during the national anthem.

On the very first day, my supervisor, the other intern, and I went through some of the main rules. He made it clear that we must be very professional and must not slack off during our time in the office. There will always be appropriate times for socializing, but we are there to work. Also, he illustrated that the staff is very friendly, so we should never hesitate to ask anyone for help.

In terms of dress, business attire is expected (dress shirt, tie, etc.). At games, I must wear a jacket as well (which is unbearable during the hot summer)! On the first day, I wore a red dress shirt, and my supervisor said that I was already committing a “Career Limiting Move.” The staff is to avoid wearing red and black dress shirts while working at the office, because those colors may symbolize that we are at the very top. Those colors are only for the bosses. Since then, I made the decision to only wear either white or cool colors (blue, green, purple), because it seems like those are the colors worn by everyone else on the Ticket Sales/Service staff.

Everyone in the office gets along extremely well with one another. There is a good mix of males and females (the other intern is female). Also, there are quite a few different ethnicities that are represented. I honestly have not even seen any instances in which one’s race or gender has dictated his/her role in the office. I think it truly symbolizes that soccer is the world’s sport and everyone can connect with each other through their love for soccer.

The internship has been great so far, and I am looking forward to delve more into sales training during the next few weeks!

Getting Started

This summer I am interning at the Chicago Reader newspaper and I can already tell it's going to be a great time.

The Reader has had a presence in Chicago for a while now. Known nationally as a leader in alternative press, it covers a variety of culture, food, arts, politics and news. The latter two are the areas I'm working though I've been told I'll get the chance to try my hand at the other topics as well. 

The way a Reader internship works is the interns are somewhat "on-call" for whatever the staff need help with- research, data entry, brief blog posts (as shown here: http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2014/05/23/readers-agenda-fri-5-23-teen-witch-adam-carolla-and-the-53rd-ward-after-dark). However, interns are also highly encouraged to team up directly with senior staff members and help them on their projects. They really encourage the interns to find a mentor to learn from and work with.

So far I've already gotten to contribute to the work of Steve Bogira, an amazing writer who has done a lot on the Chicago Public Schools. I did research for this article about the new Obama College Prep. High School coming in the next couple years (http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2014/05/30/obama-college-prep-site-in-doubt). I'm in the middle of other research as well and I'm starting to learn that the bigger projects are where the fun is. The Reader has a staff that loves to think outside the box and I'm witnessing first-hand real journalism pro's at work.

My goal is to start writing for the blog soon once I'm a little more settled and get a better feel of the paper's tone. I'd recommend you check it out, it's a different vibe than your classic New York Times or Chicago Tribune and I think it gives the writers an extra degree of freedom. 

This internship, as told to me by the hiring staff and confirmed from my experience so far, is a "get out what you put in" arrangement. I'm looking forward to getting more invested in my work their and seeing just how much I can learn this summer.

Week One in Costumes

I recently started my internship as a production assistant for the costume designer Courtney Hoffman. I am currently working in the costume department of the film “Eloise” shooting in Detroit.

View of Detroit from my office. 

Although I am familiar with working on films, this is my first time working in wardrobe. As with every new show, it is slightly intimidating walking into a space where everyone is already experts in their field. Due to finals, I also came in a little after everyone else. There are an enormous amount of unspoken rules in the film industry but they are rules you only learn from making a mistake the first time.

As far as the office dress code, I work in a costume department. When I’m not trying on fireman uniforms or straight jackets I wear what I would normally wear on a day-to-day basis. 

Trying on a straight jacket used on one of the background characters. 

While the office is relatively casual, it is imperative that you’re always in clothing or shoes that allow you to run around if necessary. As far as diversity, our costume team of six includes people of varying religions, sexual orientations and nationalities. Our diversity has no impact on how we work as a team. Overall, I am incredibly exited for this opportunity and I know that there is a lot for me to learn here.

Week 1 at RMO Wetherly and my initial impressions

I started working at RMO Wetherly in the beginning of the week. RMO Wetherly is a fashion PR group located in Soho, New York. Although it has been only a few days, I have definitely gotten a feel for what this firm is about and what to expect for the summer. RMO is a small office with 5 rows of desks and it is divided into departments such as jewelry or clothes; The department heads sit in the first row and the interns sit at the last row. People freely walk within rows, there is no real sense of division.  Here is a view from my desk.

Since this is a fashion firm located in Soho, every one dresses very trendy in the office. However, the dress code is very casual and ranges. Some people wear skirts and sandals, and others wear more casual shorts with a sweater. I can conclude it is a very  laid back, open, and  free environment for expression. It certainly makes it easier to approach those of a higher rank than me because we are in the same level of dress. However, there is a collection of our fashion clients in the lobby creating a higher end feel. 

There is an typical demographic here at RMO Wetherly that one could find at any fashion oriented company. The employees consist of mostly young women in their 20s with a few men who are very into fashion as well. However, the interaction is the same regardless of gender. 

-Rebecca Bergman

1) Environment/ Initial Impressions

I arrived to the office the first day half an hour early – before anyone else had gotten there – because I was biking to work and wanted to make sure I didn’t get lost on the way.  I waited outside of the building in Ramat Gan, that looked nothing like any traditional office I had ever seen, and waited for someone to come meet me.  Quite frankly, I was a bit nervous that I ended up at the wrong place because my I had no Wifi to figure out where I was.  But, eventually, my boss arrived and greeted me with a smile, and I was very relieved

A week later, I have come to love working at VoiceItt.  All of my team members very fun, smart, and dedicated people, which makes a great atmosphere to work and learn.   Currently the VoiceItt team is very small, consisting of only 5-7 full time employees; some work in the office, and some work from home.  The company is still in its earlier stages as a start-up, and the seemingly paradoxical relaxed, yet, hardworking environment reflects that.  Some employees wear button up shirts and khakis, while others wear t-shirts and shorts.  Whatever they are wearing makes no difference – everyone puts in the same amount of effort and enthusiasm into their work.

It is a very exciting time to be interning.  In my short time here I have made incredible contacts and have had opportunities that few get in a lifetime.  My boss makes a point to bring me, and the other intern, Joseph, with him to every meeting, competition, or lecture, so that we are able to fully experience the life and culture of his start-up.  Everything I have seen and done so far has been wild; and on top of this, I have celebrated with my co-workers as, in this week alone, VoiceItt won a prestigious competitions, received two large grants, and has been invited to speak at the TEDMed conference in the coming year.

One of the most interesting aspects of my internship, so far, is that I am working one on one with a young Arab entrepreneur, to use VoiceItt’s technology to bridge the gap between Arabs and Jews within Israel/Palestine.   I appreciate VoiceItt’s effort to attempt this very difficult and deep-rooted goal, and I think their product might actually have the means to do so.

Overall I am very impressed with my experience and am excited to see what the rest of my time here holds.