An internship at Vogue Magazine sounds like every girl’s dream, right? Last summer for UNC-Chapel Hill junior Katie Steen, that dream was her reality. Katie, an advertising major in the UNC-CH School of Journalism and Mass Communication, applied for the Condé Nast Internship Program and was selected as one of 52 people out of over 5,000 applicants for the program. After a successful phone interview, Katie received an offer for the program, flew to New York City, and by April, she was placed with Vogue Magazine in the Promotions Department. This exciting experience was something she said she will remember for the rest of her life!
HC: What was your first reaction when you first got to Vogue?
Katie: First, we had orientation with the editors until lunch. I was nervously waiting on my mentor to let me in and show me around the office, and I had a jittery feeling; I was really excited, but I was also nervous because this was my first big internship.
HC: Did the office look the same as in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada?”
Katie: I would say it is very similar, but there are also some major differences. The glass doors you see in the movie do exist. Anna Wintour wears the infamous Chanel sunglasses in the elevator, and black is a common color scheme throughout the office. I would say that The September Issue, which is a documentary about Vogue, is more realistic.
HC: What were your responsibilities as a Vogue Promotions Intern?
Katie: I composed and edited fashion merchandising proposals, I wrote copy for Vogue promotional sweepstakes, I managed guest lists for promotional events, and I collaborated with other interns on a summer-long project and made a few presentations during Vogue sales meetings.
HC: How is being part of the Condé Nast internship program different than just being a Vogue intern?
Katie: Each week, the Condé Nast interns went to an hour long presentation that Condé Nast human resources organized. The speakers were company executive from multiple departments and talked about their career path, their outlook on the industry and answered any questions we had. Condé Nast interns also had the opportunity to participate in the production of the Condé Nast intern magazine. You could be on the editorial staff, creative staff or marketing sales team. I was actually the first appointed publisher of the intern magazine and collaborated closely with the editor and creative director.
HC: What was your favorite thing you did while at Vogue?
Katie: I really loved going to the Vogue photo shoot for SKII and attending a private tour of American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity, which was a fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
HC: What other fun things did you get to do while in NYC?
Katie: I did all the touristy stuff the first week I was there: Top of the Rock, Central Park, Battery Park and everything else. Toward the end of the summer, I also had the chance to go to the Hamptons, which was a great break from city life and was amazing! The most exciting thing I did was wake up at 4 a.m. with my roommates to go watch One Republic at the Today Show during the summer concert series. My roommates and I were actually featured in a few clips singing on TV [laughs]. I got my five minutes of fame the first week I was in New York.
HC: Would you recommend the Condé Nast Internship Program and/or interning in New York City?
Katie: Of course I don’t think a big city like New York is the right place for everyone. It depends on your personality and career aspirations. Being in New York this summer really forced me to grow up and gain a strong backbone. If New York is somewhere you would want to live after graduation, I would definitely recommend interning in the city first. It really opens your eyes to what big city life is like and allows you to see whether it’s right for you. If you are interested in the publishing industry in general, Condé Nast has many different types of magazines and opportunities available for interns and employees. I really learned a lot and wouldn’t trade my experience with Condé Nast or Vogue for anything. Not to mention, it has added a little something to my resume! I really love New York and look forward to returning to the city this summer!