Our Summer Interns – Anette Lee and Digital Communications
Anette served as our digital communications intern this summer, helping to communicate sustainability practices to a variety of online audiences. Read about her experience below:
Can you describe the key role you have played during your internship?
My internship in digital communications focused on social media, where I supported both the Environment Team and Transition by creating engaging content, including videos and reels. I helped gather footage, edited videos, and contributed to shaping messaging strategies based on data analytics to identify the most engaging practices. Some examples of my work include interviewing the University’s recycling team and promoting the guided Deep Time Walk. I also developed a new social media guide for Transition and assisted them in switching from Hootsuite to Meta Business Suite, helping streamline their scheduling and posting processes.
What skills/knowledge from your degree have you found helpful in your role?
Surprisingly, my degree in French and Philosophy proved very relevant to my role. My communication and analytical skills helped me tailor messaging to specific audiences, particularly within the constraints and logic of social media algorithms. Presentation skills gained through my French studies helped me feel confident speaking on camera. Philosophy sharpened my ability to define objectives clearly, assess content critically, and structure messages for clarity — even when conveyed through visual storytelling like videography. The analytical thinking developed through my studies also helped me identify and evaluate challenges during the internship and come up with practical solutions.
What are the main benefits you have gained from this experience?
This internship gave me the time and space to explore videography and video editing in a hands-on way. Most importantly, I gained insight into how the University approaches sustainability on an operational level. It was invaluable to engage directly with colleagues, understand their priorities and approaches, and learn from their experience and values.
What key skills have you developed through this internship? Can you give some specific examples of when you used and developed these skills?
I developed my organisational skills by working in a 9–5 hybrid structure, which required me to plan and manage my projects in advance. I also strengthened my creative leadership by being trusted to take the lead on content creation, often working independently and making creative decisions about video structure, tone, and messaging. In addition, I developed my research skills by reading into the marketing of social ideas and elements of social psychology to inform a more strategic approach to content and audience engagement.
What might you have done differently during your placement?
If I could do this internship again, I would prioritise engaging with more colleagues across the teams to expand my network and gather more perspectives. I would also aim to batch-create and schedule more posts in advance, rather than focusing so heavily on editing each video to a professional standard — especially within limited timeframes.
What is next for you in your employability journey?
After this internship, I’m looking forward to getting more involved in environmental initiatives and continuing to contribute to the University’s sustainability efforts with the insight I’ve gained. I’m also excited to further explore creative work, including videography and design, and to continue developing these skills independently so I can apply them to future roles and projects.
Thank you, Anette!
A huge thank you to Anette for all of her work this summer. To all of our students, please keep an eye out on the Careers Centre website if you are interested in interning with the Environment team in 2026.