August 2025
From Coffee Chats to Career Goals: Insights from GPP’s 2025 Summer Interns
As summer winds down, we’re excited to recognize the contributions of our four exceptional summer interns: Abby Ferraro, Devin McDonald, Emily Luo and Veronica O’Brien. From day one, they approached every project with curiosity, enthusiasm and a genuine desire to learn. Whether assisting in drafting communications materials, supporting client work, or diving into research, each intern brought a fresh perspective and an eagerness to contribute.
Outside of the day-to-day, they joined us for everything from team lunches to outings around the city (Go Mets!), making the most of summer in NYC. The quartet wrapped up their time at GPP by presenting thoughtful research and insights on what makes a CEO a strong thought leader.
We’re grateful for their hard work, positive energy and professionalism, and we’re proud to share their reflections on their summer at GPP.
How did GPP’s culture influence your experience?
Devin: GPP’s emphasis on collaboration and forward-thinking heavily influenced my experience. Whether I was brainstorming new ideas or assisting with a client task, I always felt supported and valued as a team member.
Emily: GPP has a welcoming and warm culture, as interns we had a chance to engage with all team members through coffee chats and bonding events. Additionally, GPP members all come from a diverse mix of professional and cultural backgrounds which cultivates an inclusive environment from the very beginning. This vision is reflected from the ground up, as interns come from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, making GPP a great place to learn and get everyone’s unique perspective.
Abby: GPP’s culture is very friendly and welcoming which made the experience enjoyable. It is so much easier to learn and grow within a friendly and compassionate environment. I feel very grateful to everyone at GPP for being so willing to help teach and provide us with guidance as we embark on our professional journeys.
In what areas did you see yourself grow the most? Did you develop any skills this summer that you can use in the future?
Veronica: I think the area I saw myself grow the most is strategic writing. Unlike the kind of writing many students are used to doing in class, such as persuasive essays or research reports, our specific realm of communications requires a certain tone and style that takes time to develop. I can certainly see myself applying this skill in my future, which I hope involves working in public relations.
Abby: My financial literacy has benefited from this internship, and I appreciate the team’s dedication to our learning. We were fortunate enough to have informational sessions scheduled that helped us to learn about finance and corporate governance. I am leaving with a lot more confidence navigating these issues and I am grateful for the knowledge that I have acquired. In terms of skills, I can confidently read through investor relations documents which I am sure will come in handy!
What’s one thing you learned this summer that you didn’t expect to?
Devin: Connections are everything. Before this summer, I knew that professional relationships were important in any industry. What I didn’t realize, however, was just how essential they are in the communications world. From winning new business to engaging with reporters, strong connections can open doors and take you further than you’d expect.
Emily: One unexpected skill I developed is public speaking. I never had a structured approach before, but during the internship, I found a process to prepare myself for high-level presentations. One of the most memorable Lunch and Learn sessions we got to sit in on also taught me to view my body language, slides and speech as a cohesive whole and to approach them with confidence.
What was your favorite experience this summer?
Abby: I really enjoyed the baseball game between the LA Angels and the NY Mets. Coming from England, I always enjoy insights into American culture and baseball feels especially emblematic of that! So being able to have a hot dog and listen to “Take me out to the ballgame” felt like I was in a film.
Veronica: My favorite experience this summer was our team trip to Swingers mini golf in Flatiron. It was a great night of friendly competition, and I was surprised to learn we have some talented golfers in our office!
Emily: My favorite experience was touring Bloomberg’s headquarters. It was exciting to see the different floors, enjoy the beautiful views and snacks, and learn how the Terminal works. The tour guide also introduced me to several Bloomberg certificates. This gave me the chance to build practical skills using the Terminal.
What advice do you have for future GPP interns?
Veronica: My biggest piece of advice to future interns is to be unafraid of making mistakes. The best way to learn is to dive deep into your work and know that there will be things you don’t know right away and that is okay! You learn the most when you allow yourself to develop your skills, which will always involve learning moments along the way.
Abby: My biggest piece of advice would be to ask questions … being curious and inquisitive is a skill that will serve you well at GPP. People are willing to give thoughtful answers, so take advantage of that. Also, read the news daily! This is a rapidly changing landscape and incorporating it into your routine is very valuable.
What was your go-to lunch and/or coffee order for the summer?
All (in unison): Blue Bottle!
Emily: Nola cold foam from Blue Bottle, for sure.
Veronica: Iced Nola from Blue Bottle which always felt like a nod to Tulane.
Devin: Also, the nitro cold brews from GPP’s kitchen…a true lifesaver.