Lina Toledo
COM’21 | Public Relations
Public Relations and Archive Intern
CCD: Tell us about your work experience. What were your responsibilities?
LT: As the public relations and archive intern for the Los Angeles Opera Company, my daily tasks include overseeing the main media list, building contacts with local magazines and media entities, creating marketing emails for our main stage productions and organizing our digital and physical archives. I helped recruit new restaurants and hotels to our club card subscription service, which gives ticket holders discounts to 5-star restaurants and hotels. In addition I wrote an article on the LA arts economy which was feature on the organizations blog which goes out to thousands of subscribers.
CCD: How did you get the position? What resources at BU or elsewhere did you use?
LT: I was able to get the position through researching summer internships in the Los Angeles area. I had done work for LA Opera in high school, but I got this position by applying to a program for undergraduates through the Los Angeles Arts Commission. They offer 10-week, paid internships to residents of the Los Angeles area, or students studying at Los Angeles universities
CCD: What was the best thing about the experience? What was the worst?
LT: The best thing was being able to collaborate with such prominent individuals in the field. I was able to work alongside the Director of Communications and Marketing. I was even able to learn from the CEO and CFO. It definitely was a challenge being a college-student and not always having the same years of experience as many of my co-workers. Luckily they all were super patient and I feel like the challenge helped me grow and learn to remain calm under pressure and in new situations.
CCD: What was the most memorable moment of your experience?
LT: Most memorable moment of my experience was when I pitched my first story to a local newspaper and it lead to media coverage for our Opera in the Park event. I felt super accomplished and felt that I had made an impact.
CCD: What advice would you give to another student about making the most of an internship or job experience?
LT: Do not be afraid to ask questions. Asking questions lead to so many conversations about prospective fields and career paths. It is super scary at first, but I definitely would not have got the same experience if I did not speak up!
BU + Beyond 