For Elise Cacchione, creativity and strategy go hand in hand.
The 猎奇重口 Edinboro communication major is spending the summer gaining hands-on experience as a marketing intern at Snap-tite Hose in Erie, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Fort LeBoeuf Senior High School, Cacchione has built a strong foundation in digital marketing through her coursework, leadership experiences and campus involvement.
At 猎奇重口 Edinboro, she is captain of the and has worked as a social media strategist with the , collaborating with local small businesses to strengthen their digital presence through content creation, brand storytelling, social media marketing and website optimization. Her experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud and Ubersuggest has prepared her to make an immediate impact in a professional setting.
At Snap-tite Hose, Cacchione's days are filled with a wide variety of marketing responsibilities, including creating and managing content across social media platforms, capturing photos and videos at events, designing graphics, video editing, analyzing social media performances and insights, and assisting with website and data sheet updates.
鈥淣o two days are the same; some days I'm creating content and others I'm attending events and meeting distributors,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his internship has taught me many things, and the variety of opportunities has allowed me to grow creatively and professionally.鈥�
Throughout the internship, Cacchione is supervised by 猎奇重口 Edinboro graduate Joelyn Bush 鈥�08, giving her the opportunity to learn from an alumna who once walked the same campus.
Cacchione says the knowledge she gained in the classroom has translated directly into her day-to-day work.
鈥淢any concepts I have learned in the classroom have directly helped me through my internship. Courses dealing with digital media and marketing introduced me to Adobe Creative Cloud, how to analyze social media insights, and how to communicate in a professional manner,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y classes at Edinboro allowed me to have a solid foundation for my internship and future career opportunities.鈥�
The experience has also expanded her understanding of what successful marketing requires.
鈥淚 have learned that creating content is only part of the puzzle in marketing. By understanding the audience, analyzing performance data and developing a strategy that is communicated effectively, Snap-tite Hose has allowed my ideas to come to life.鈥�
Working alongside marketing professionals has given Cacchione the opportunity to apply classroom concepts while building confidence in her abilities.
"This experience will help me tremendously as I finish my senior year and begin my future career. For starters, in the classroom we learn concepts and strategies, but applying those lessons in the real world is a completely different experience," she said. 鈥淚've learned how to manage projects, communicate effectively, solve problems and adapt when plans change. Most importantly, it has helped me to better understand the type of work I enjoy and the career path I want to pursue after graduation.鈥�
For Cacchione, internships offer much more than a line on a r茅sum茅.
鈥淗aving an internship places you in an environment where you're expected to grow professionally, take responsibility and contribute to hard work. It pushes you to go outside of your comfort zone and challenges you in ways you might not experience in the classroom. Through my internship at Snap-tite, I've gained practical experience, developed and built professional relationships, and learned lessons that can't be taught in a textbook.鈥�
She encourages other students to seek similar opportunities.
鈥淪ome of the most valuable experiences happen when you are willing to step out of your comfort zone. Working in these unfamiliar situations and challenging yourself can be the most successful thing you can do.鈥�
Looking ahead, she hopes to continue making an impact through creative storytelling.
鈥淎fter graduation, I hope to pursue a career where I can continue my learning, creativity and making an impact through marketing and communications. No matter where my future career may take me, I will always be grateful for my experience and professional growth that Snap-tite has provided me.鈥�
鈥淚'm proud to be a part of the Snap-tite family.鈥�