Q&A with San Francisco summer intern Rhiannon McCarthy

We recently sat down with Rhiannon McCarthy, a rising senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a summer intern in our San Francisco office, to learn more about what attracted her to Infinite Global and what she’s hoping to learn during her time with us this summer.

Tell us about yourself.

I will be a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I am studying strategic communication. During the school year, I am a marketing coordinator for the UW School of Engineering. I am also involved in the Advertising Club and I’m a writer for our campus newspaper, The Daily Cardinal.

What drew you to Infinite Global’s internship program?

A couple of things. First, I liked that the firm was small enough that I would be able to work alongside the senior leadership team. Second, I had dabbled with the idea of going to law school, and even shadowed attorneys in my hometown’s DA’s office.

I ultimately decided that law school wasn’t for me but am still so fascinated with the legal practice, so Infinite Global seemed like the perfect fit!

How did you become interested in PR?

What first drew me to law was the idea of helping others in a professional setting. Public relations allows that, but in a more creative environment, which is exactly what I was looking for.

What was your first week like?

My first week went really well! Naturally, I was very nervous before my first day. But, I was worried for nothing. Everyone in the office is so nice and helpful, which made me feel very comfortable within the first few days. My nerves quickly turned to excitement and I am enjoying my time at Infinite Global.

What are you most excited about doing or learning?

There’s not just one thing that I’m excited about learning or doing – I am eager to learn anything and everything during my time here.

I enjoy working with my client teams and learning about our clients’ industries and how their companies are run. I’m also excited to learn more about crisis communications, since that is something I don’t have experience in.

Who has been an important mentor in your life and why?

An important mentor in my life has been my aunt. Like me, she was born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin, then went to college in Minneapolis. Now, she lives in San Francisco and is the COO of a large healthcare company. She’s even kind enough to host me this summer.

She has greatly contributed to my professional development. She consistently urges me to step outside of my comfort zone and pushes me to reach my full potential.