Intentional Internships
Students from across the college are working in their fields before they graduate, building the skills to be Ready Day One.
Ella Jane Tune, Graphic Communication
As an artist’s apprentice for Minga Opazo, a fourth-generation textile crafter, Ella Jane Tune (Graphic Communication, ’25) learned to appreciate the creative chaos behind professional art.
During the internship, Tune collaborated with Opazo to create artwork, actively exploring solutions to the fashion and textile industry’s negative environmental impact. Opazo, an Ojai-based artist with Chilean roots, produces works that explore the relationship between climate change, textile production and Chilean textile history and design.
After graduation, Tune plans to continue working with Opazo, assisting her in both studio practice and design work.
“Working in the professional art world has helped me overcome many of the fears and imposter syndrome I used to carry.” Tune said. “Through working closely with Minga, I have seen what it truly looks like to build a life around creativity, and I have learned that it is not only possible but also deeply fulfilling.”
Brendan McCann, History and Political Science
As a collections and research intern at the historic Hearst Castle, Brendan McCann developed a deep appreciation for public service.
Hearst Castle, newspaper and media mogul William Randolph Hearst's hilltop estate, overlooks San Simeon, less than 50 miles north of San Luis Obispo. McCann, a fourth-year history and political science double major, assisted with day-to-day operations: cleaning artifacts, opening tour routes and completing several research projects.
One project involved tracing the journeys of 22,000 artifacts housed at the castle. McCann examined original receipts, shipping logs and correspondence to reveal the individual story behind each item.
“My favorite part of the internship was the castle itself,” McCann said. “Each day felt like stepping onto the set of a film, from the scenic drive up the hill passing by zebras and having to navigate around Barbary sheep, to the hands-on experience of helping unfurl a massive, centuries-old tapestry. The setting made every task feel meaningful and memorable.”
Trey Bernard, Art and Design
As a marketing intern with Cal Poly Athletics, Trey Bernard is combining his many passions: sports, photography, graphic design and live production.
In this role, Bernard’s responsibilities include working alongside the game day operations team to organize halftime promotions and presentations, communicating with the film and live productions team to perfect camera angles, and creating graphics for social media, advertisements and merchandise.
While the third-year art and design student initially hoped to pursue a career in architecture, this internship has allowed him to unlock new aspirations.
“Now that I have had the opportunity to dive into a different industry and see the tremendous impact and work that goes behind the scenes at games and events, it is something that I am passionate about,” Bernard said. “That is something that I think is so valuable: being able to get hands-on, real-world experience on campus.”
Cleo Cowell, Interdisciplinary Studies
During her internship with Amy’s Kitchen, a Northern California food manufacturing company, Cleo Cowell (Interdisciplinary Studies, ’25) gained insight into the organic food industry.
As a marketing and communications intern, Cowell worked to promote the opening of Amy’s new headquarters in Petaluma. She wrote compelling product descriptions and press releases, managed nonprofit partnership to optimize community outreach and spearheaded a project charter for the company’s campus ambassador program.
Cowell was pleasantly surprised to see that Amy’s Kitchen, a multi-million dollar brand, still prepares recipes by hand.
“My internship opened my eyes to how a company can grow without ever compromising its values,” Cowell said. “Seeing how Amy’s stays family-owned and independent showed me that profit doesn’t have to come at the cost of integrity, community or sustainability. It inspired me to build a career helping companies sell authentic stories and do good for people and the planet, not just the bottom line.”
Giovanni Albarez, Political Science
During his internship with Invariant, a bipartisan business advisory and public affairs firm, Giovanni Albarez witnessed the dynamic process of public policy actions.
Albarez, a third-year political science major with a concentration in pre-law studies, worked as a consumer products government relations intern, contributing to a wide range of public policy-related assignments. His work ranged from monitoring how federal legislation and regulatory developments affect major businesses like Toyota and Home Depot, to attending congressional hearings and drafting reports for Fortune 500 companies.
His experience at Invariant strengthened both his desire for a career in policy analysis or government affairs, and his confidence in pursuing roles that bridge the gap between public and private sectors.
“It was eye-opening to see how much interns can support real client work and how much our contributions are valued when we take initiative and pay attention to detail,” Albarez said. “It made me realize how important it is to be proactive and well-informed, even as a student stepping into the professional world.”
Lyla Runkel, Sociology
As a two-time intern for the Marin County District Attorney, Lyla Runkel gained a new perspective.
The fourth-year sociology student with a criminal-justice concentration worked with both the criminal prosecutions team and the special victims unit, analyzing firearm possession charges, listening to jail call recordings, reviewing evidence, assisting in court and more.
Throughout both internships, Runkel particularly enjoyed working with violent crime victims and providing them comfort throughout the trial process.
“It changed the way I live my day-to-day life, what I want to pursue in my future and how I treat people,” Runkel said. “One of the most important things I learned during this internship is that you truly never know what someone else is going through. Every individual has hardship in their life, and therefore, everyone deserves equal respect.”