At Johnson & Wales University, experiential learning is integrated into every program to prepare students for professional success and personal growth. Believing that the most effective way to learn is by doing, internships that offer academic credit encourage students to gain practical industry-related work experience and build stronger resumés. Ben Huntzinger, ’25, B.S. – Digital Marketing & Social Media shares how a valuable internship experience converted to a job offer that launched his new career.
Ben explains, “I didn’t start my educational career thinking, ‘Oh, I want to go into marketing.’ Growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania, I spent lots of time in nature and am passionate about conservation. My dream is to work in a field in which I can help protect wildlife.”
Characterizing himself as a “hands-on learner,” Ben planned to attend a four-year college on-campus and fully experience dorm life.
While studying marine biology in college, Ben ran out of money. “The program was too expensive to continue, but I was determined not to let that stop me from getting a college education. I began searching for work and noticed that conservation and environmental companies were hiring people with marketing and social media backgrounds. They were looking for candidates willing to get their hands dirty, while documenting their organizations’ stories with photography and video.”
Employed by Target as a Tech and Entertainment Associate, Ben had the opportunity to attend college though his company’s partnership with Guild Education. He began researching school programs that would prepare him with the skills for digital storytelling.
Finding JWU Online was a little bit like ‘love at first sight.’
“I discovered I could earn a Digital Marketing & Social Media degree through JWU Online. After reading all the great reviews and hearing positive feedback from people I trust about JWU Online, I decided, ‘This is where I’m supposed to be.’
“From my first phone call to the school, I felt welcomed into the JWU Online community. The admissions representative listened to my goals and assured me I would like the program and the professors. She invited me to visit the campus and said she hoped I would come to Providence to walk with other JWU students when I graduated.
“JWU Online felt like more than just a subdivision with courses I could take online. Staff and faculty were excited to offer — and students were excited to be taking — the online programs. I would be a student, and eventually a proud alum, of Johnson & Wales University.”
The Online Learning Experience
Prior to attending college, Ben had been homeschooled for 12 years. He praises home-schooling as having prepared him to learn virtually and to value being part of a community.
“During the seventh grade, my family joined a homeschool co-op of about 200 students. We’d meet for classes one day a week. Math and English might be taught by a parent and then I might work at home on science and history for rest of the week.
“When you are homeschooled, you don’t have someone standing over you saying, ‘This is due right now.’ You have a due date and fit your work in when you can. I learned how to juggle chores on the farm with completing school assignments on time. Taking classes at JWU Online has been similar — you have to flex time to complete your assignments while working to support yourself financially.
“Homeschooling was a rewarding learning experience — and I made life-long friends. Similarly, my program at JWU Online has been a wonderful educational experience, in which I made friends virtually.”
It’s been a blessing to be learning online.
“I feel like I haven’t had to put my whole life on pause. It’s not necessarily better than going to school in person. I’ve just experienced so many extra benefits by being able to live in my own space, work at my job, and still be able to attend school.”
The Program
Ben chose the Digital Marketing & Social Media program for its broad range of classes and electives that would give him a well-rounded education. Occasionally he questioned why a course was required but was surprised when, “later I recognized how much I had learned.”
“For example, I didn’t expect to like the business law class — actually I dreaded it. But when I began posting to social media during my internship, not only did I have the marketing skills to promote the company’s brand, but I understood how to manage legal requirements.
“All of my professors in the Digital Marketing & Social Media program have welcomed innovative ideas and fresh perspectives, which allowed me to flourish in the program. I never once had the impression that a professor was thinking, ‘This is a crazy idea — just stick with the black and white road we have already set ahead.’ Instead, they were enthusiastic: ‘You want to go into that? Here are resources. This is what I want to see in your next paper.’ It was very encouraging.”
Internship-to-Hire
Ben explains, “Students in my program were given the option to either intern or take two elective classes during the summer sessions. When I learned about the internship opportunity, I thought, ‘Yeah, I would really love to do this.’ By choosing the internship option, I could do something I was interested in and apply in real life — and receive full academic credit.”
Referred to the Faulkner Automotive Group by his partner Caleb, Ben interviewed and was accepted for an internship. “This was the first year they offered the internship. I served as a “Variable Fixed Operations” intern by rotating through different departments. I spent a month in sales, another month in finance, then service, and even sat for a while with the managers.
“As the second summer semester was about to end, I let the company know I would be going back to school. They said they weren’t ready to let me go. No one had touched their social media for a while, so they asked if I would re-build their social media from the ground up.”
I accepted the company’s offer to work part-time.
“As the company’s Social Media Content Creator, I run the company’s Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, the latter of which we just started this year — and of course, everyone’s been having a whole lot of fun with TikTok.
“While interning, I sometimes wondered if I was doing enough to provide value for the company. Looking back, I recognize that the internship was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn all sides of the business and see how the organization operates. Now, as the content creator, understanding how the different departments function helps me tell the story of each group’s sales, service and financing operations.
“Especially cool is that I use skills learned in the Digital Marketing and Social Media program to make posters and flyers for the Service Lane Exchange program, which is for customers interested in trading their car for something newer. My managers explained, ‘This is what we want it to say. Can you create it?’ I’ve made a couple of different flyers and also templates for emails to send out to customers.
“I also use photography skills for a series I started, in which I showcase one of the salespeople along with one of the car models. Potential customers see our social media posts and when they come in to talk, they’ve already seen a friendly face inviting them in.
“The company encouraged me to produce videos that help customers see how their car operates. The videos can also feature a couple of advantages they’d have by purchasing a Hyundai versus another brand. I also write scripts for the salespeople to use.”
Ben’s valuable internship experience leads to a promotion.
One month after completing his bachelor’s degree, Ben was surprised and honored to be offered a full-time position as the company’s Social Media Content Creator. “The promotion confirms that by putting the skills learned in the Digital Marketing & Social Media program to work, first as an intern and then as an employee, I am providing value to the Faulkner Automotive Group.”
Internship Oversight
“Two of my managers at my internship site took on the responsibility to verify that I was actually onsite and documented the hours I completed each week. The reports from my manager and the direct communication from the school provided a good system of checks and balances.
“Student interns are also required to write papers describing what we were learning, how we had seen ourselves grow and how we can see ourselves using what we learned in the future.
“The Experiential Education and Career Services department was always available to help me throughout the internship. They checked in regularly to make sure everything was going well. I also had lots of help to polish my LinkedIn profile, resumé and cover letter so that I was prepared to apply for jobs even before I graduated.”
Melanie Rainone, Senior Experiential Education & Career Advisor at JWU offers, “Online students do have the option to complete an internship, and we’re here every step of the way if they decide to do so! We support them with registration, internship search, and are here while they are out on internship as well. In addition to internship, we also offer assistance with interviewing, job searching, building a LinkedIn profile, and more. We encourage students to make an appointment with us so we can get their questions answered and see how we can best be supporting them in their career journey!”
A Positive Experience
“Choosing the Digital Marketing & Social Media program has set me on a new path to pursue my conservation goals. During the program, many of the papers I wrote addressed the sustainability of using digital marketing — I even posted one on my LinkedIn page. I’m confident I will be able to leverage my new digital marketing skills to help me preserve the world for future generations.
“I’ve enjoyed how the program is super flexible. Especially while working, I’m able to come home and either do assignments in the evenings or do them on my day off, which has been awesome.
“All the resources and personal support I needed has been there for me. My advisor, Harry, was incredibly helpful. During a little rough patch, I was scared that I wasn’t going to graduate on time. Harry helped me structure my classes to make it work, saying, ‘Don’t worry about it. I got you.’
“I’m fortunate to have a huge, cheerleading squad of family and friends. I’m especially thankful to my dad, Ron and my mom, Julie for supporting me, my partner Caleb, who was a huge driving force in keeping me in school, and my friends, Amber and Tina. I’m the first person in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, which is a huge honor.”
“JWU Online does a fantastic job of extending themselves out across the country to bring this whole community of students together. The professors encourage interactive classes that build community. My classmates all had wonderful stories that I’ve loved getting to know. Even though these students were not on-campus, online students are still a big part of the school.
“I’ve made friends, some of whom I met for the first time when I walked at the Providence graduation. I could have gotten my diploma in the mail, but seeing all of the graduates’ faces at the commencement ceremony as I crossed the finish line made it more real.
“I’ve had a really positive college experience. If you are considering JWU Online for an experiential education, I absolutely recommend you go for it!”
