Milton Hershey School Spartan Internship Program: Kayla Dent

Featuring Kayla Dent, Spartan Internship—Marketing and Athletics

The 2021 summer Spartan Internship program included 11 rising seniors working with Hershey entity partners and Milton Hershey School departments to gain real-world experience in their desired career path. During the four-week experience, students learned employable skills like time management, teamwork, organization, and earned a summer wage.

Kayla worked with the marketing department at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) and the student work programs and athletics departments at Milton Hershey School.

Kayla’s Q&A:

What made you interested in participating in this internship program at MHS?

I was initially interested in the summer internship program because I had doubts on what I wanted to do as a career. By working with the marketing department at HE&R, I was able to test the waters on a career that I am interested in.

What was it like being a student intern with HE&R and MHS? What were the differences between your mornings and your afternoons?

My mornings with HE&R involved team marketing meetings to discuss my goals and initiatives for the day. Usually that consisted of research projects and the opportunity to give my input on different company aspects such as Hersheypark’s website. In the afternoons, I worked with Campus Safety on maintenance tasks such as filing work permits, organizing rooms, mail room trips, etc.

Are there any projects that you worked on that are unforgettable?

I had the opportunity to design and create advertisements for Hersheypark such as for The Boardwalk and Hersheypark in the Dark.

What was your biggest takeaway from your summer internship experience?

The biggest takeaway from my summer internship was being able to walk away with more skills than when I started. Also, I had the opportunity to meet and network with an entire marketing team and ask advice on my career path. I have grown so much from this internship and have had the opportunity to develop professional communication and time management skills, and gain independence.

BethAnne Bowen and Kayla Dent in the Spartan Athletic Center during Kayla’s Spartan Internship.

“I enjoyed my time working with Kayla and hope that she left this experience with greater knowledge about athletics and student programming,” said BethAnne Bowen, MHS Senior Administrative Secretary.

As a Spartan intern with the MHS communications department, Symyra Byrd spearheaded the 2021 Spartan Internship blog series and assisted the team in collecting interviews of MHS students and staff as well as HE&R professionals.