December 10, 2020
In Turn with Koren Joy Bolster
In turn is a series that highlights the student interns and internship opportunities found within the College of Business (COB). For more information, contact Melissa Parks at parksr19@ecu.edu.
Koren Joy Bolster’s story is a first for our In Turn series. She’s currently receiving a College of Business education online and plans to graduate May ’21.
“Distance education has given me the flexibility I need to have a job concurrently while taking classes,” said Bolster, a Morehead City native studying marketing. “I pay for my education expenses, so not working has never been an option for me.”
“It is extremely rewarding and has helped me develop great organizational and time management skills, as well.”
Bolster tells us the internship helped land a full-time job in the career she’s pursuing.
More of Bolster’s story can be found below. If one thinks they cannot both work and get an education, Bolster shows you can. If one is on the fence about whether to intern, Bolster’s story provides an answer.
“Internships are a great opportunity to get your foot in the door of an industry and to have hands-on experience that isn’t just reading from a textbook and getting quizzed on the knowledge you obtained,” said Bolster.
How did you learn about this internship opportunity?
A team member on the leadership team at Lucas Research reached out to me, and I discussed internship opportunities with her. She instructed me to send, and luckily, I had my resume ready, thanks to the COB. My internship began in June ’20 and ended this past November. I now work there as a full-time employee.
As an intern, what were your day-to-day responsibilities?
I oversaw our Media Agency Agreement (MAA) with TriWorks Studios for content creation, including managing their monthly budget. I coordinated advertising that includes creation, sponsorship and IRB approval and tracking effectiveness. I created social media posts and maintained/updated the website. I also executed team member headshots and developed business cards.
How did the COB prepare you to be the chosen candidate?
The COB set me up for success: having an updated resume, ensuring I had the needed resources available and helping me grow as a business leader.
What was the moment during your internship search process where you knew your COB education has paid off?
As soon as I was offered my intern position with Lucas Research and later given the opportunity to become a full-time team member at the conclusion of my internship.
When you’re not working and need a break from schoolwork, what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy going to the beach, taking my dog on runs, and anything that gets me out of my house.
