Emily Pawelek was named January’s intern of the month at Monmouth University by the Career Development office. The senior business accounting student interned at Paramount Global, where she served as the New York Showtime Programming Finance Intern.
Paramount Global is one of the world’s leading producers of premium entertainment content, and has its hand in film and TV, media networks, and streaming services. Their long list of networks includes CBS, Nickelodeon and Pluto TV. Pawelek began her internship with Paramount Global in January and concluded in November.
She explained, “I was interested in working for Paramount Global since it’s a very well-known company, and I knew I would be able to grow my network significantly. The media industry is one that had my interest, but I didn’t think it would be possible to be exposed to one and gain this experience as an intern.
I was hoping to be able to compare my other accounting experiences with a global company to see how recording or close periods differed, while serving the same purpose.”
Pawelek’s daily responsibilities included processing payments to external companies, assisting with the balance sheet files for monthly or quarterly close, and ensuring that license periods on Showtime’s records matched the same periods as stated on the deal contracts, which allowed for a smoother closing period.
She credits MU’s Career Development emails for helping her discover this internship. Upon applying for the position, she quickly received an invitation for an interview and eventually landed the position.
Pawelek said that her coursework enabled her to put her best foot forward at the internship, as she applied concepts that she learned in the classroom.
Although Pawelek has interned in the past for a few companies, Crum & Forster most recently, she had never experienced financial reporting for the media and production industry. She said, “Learning how the balance sheet accounts reached their final amounts in the media/production industry was something totally new. Also learning how every file ties together in some aspect was interesting to catch on to.”
She was also able to navigate this internship in a completely remote setting, which further strengthened her overall soft skills. Despite being in a remote setting in a very large company, Pawelek was able to connect to not only the full-time employees, but also the hundreds of other interns over the summer and fall sessions.
Students such as Pawelek take advantage of MU’s Career development as a vital resource. Just recently, the Career Development team launched their new “Intern for a Day” program, where students work alongside a professional in their field of interest for a day. Career Treks have also been introduced, in which students can attend trips with other students to explore a company’s headquarters and gain a closer look into the industry.
Jeff Mass, Director of Employer Engagement, said, “Students who choose to take advantage of Career Development have the opportunity to develop and structure a professional resume, explore intern and career opportunities, and learn how to stand out as a job candidate to companies.”
Pawelek’s advice to students is to take a shot at jobs or internships that interest them, no matter what. “It never hurts to apply!” she said. “Since Paramount is a very large company, I didn’t think I would have been offered this experience when I applied. I now know that beginning my internships as a first-year [student] has given me more experience and helped me better understand the professional world. Having so many opportunities in a short period of time is something I will never regret.”
