Our Wildwood, Winter 2019, Volume 44

ALUMNI REFLECTION by Sarah Bales ’14

From Intern to Employee

job opportunities. I was also able to see how the Habits of Mind and Heart translated to life beyond Wildwood. I saw collaboration in the workplace, understood the importance of convention and perspective, and sought out opportunities that had an impact on the common good. Did the professional relationships you formed through internships lead to where you are today? I would not be on the path I am today without them. During my junior year at Wildwood, I had the privilege of interning for Jim O’Gorman, the California

Sarah Bales ’14 works at Hulu in Experiential & Events. She graduated from Tufts University in 2018 summa cum laude with a degree in International Relations and Spanish. Here, she talks about the impact of her Wildwood internship: What is unique about the internship program at Wildwood? The internship program is one of the most exceptional aspects of the Wildwood curriculum. It is not only invaluable to start building a resume during your junior year of high school, but internships allow students to learn about various industries and organizations throughout Los Angeles. Because of Wildwood’s internship program, I had compelling experiences to discuss in interviews and I was well-equipped to tackle new challenges. My internships kick-started my understanding of what it would one day look like to work full time, allowed me to build lasting relationships, and helped me gain a deeper appreciation of how my Wildwood education would serve me in the future. They helped me understand the type of professional atmosphere in which I thrive and empowered me to seek those out in future internship and How did your internships influence your career choice?

“” BECAUSE OF WILDWOOD’S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, I HAD

Operations Director of Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign. I experienced what it was like to work in a campaign office, learned the ins and outs of campaign operations and budgeting, and engaged with many of the passionate activists and volunteers behind the

COMPELLING EXPERIENCES TO DISCUSS IN INTERVIEWS AND I WAS WELL-EQUIPPED TO TACKLE NEW CHALLENGES.

robust efforts to re-elect President

Obama. This internship was one of the most memorable experiences of my time in high school and where I met someone I consider to be my greatest mentor to this day, Jim O’Gorman.

How did Jim help?

I vividly remember the September day during my junior year when I met Jim to interview for the position as his intern on the campaign. I was ecstatic about the opportunity, but I was unaware of the impact this internship would have on my life after Wildwood. After his time on the campaign, Jim landed at Hulu, and we stayed in touch throughout the years that followed. Jim’s continued mentorship allowed me the opportunity to intern at Hulu for the summers after my sophomore and junior years of college and eventually led to my current job in Hulu’s marketing department. The internship program catalyzed my current career trajectory and opened the door to unparalleled experiences that inspired me and gave me the tools to excel in the world beyond Wildwood.

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OWW WINTER 2019