Charrise Lamothe, a corporate communication student at Penn State Scranton, recently completed an impactful internship at SlooMoo Institute in New York.
DUNMORE, Pa. — Charrise Lamothe, a corporate communication student at Penn State Scranton, recently completed an impactful internship at SlooMoo Institute, an interactive space dedicated to the sensory joys of slime. Since its opening in Oct. 2019 in SoHO, New York City, the 12,000-square-foot institute has become a haven for slime enthusiasts, offering a variety of hand-crafted, scented slimes, soothing autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) experiences and contemporary art installations. Lamothe said she has been with the company since its inception in 2019.
Born and raised in New York City, Lamothe’s journey to corporate communication wasn’t straightforward, she said.
“I entered Penn State Scranton as a nursing major. I quickly became friends with students who were corporate communication majors and they persuaded me to give it a shot,” she said. “After taking my first corporate communication course, I instantly fell in love.”
Her internship at SlooMoo provided her with a unique opportunity to delve into corporate communication and human resources, which aligned with her interests. “I’ve always been interested in headquarters and human resources. Learning about our policies and procedures as an employee has been so interesting to me,” she said. “The corporate communication program has prepared me for my internship through various speech courses and engaging with others you would never expect to.”
During her internship at SlooMoo, Lamothe was responsible for reviewing and editing the latest employee handbook, conducting interviews, assisting with hiring processes and creating new job positions across multiple platforms. “The skills I found most valuable during my internship were extending my knowledge of Microsoft Suites and interacting with new and current employees. Being able to walk out of the office, walk five minutes to the venue and check up on both the venue and the employees was probably one of my favorite things to do during my internship,” she said.
Lamothe said she believes her experience at SlooMoo has significantly shaped her future career in corporate communication. “The internship will influence my future career by providing insights on how the company is operated, as well as its values, cultures and communication practices. In addition, the internship helped me understand different employees and their communication styles, as well as their demographics.”
Importance of internal communication
“The most surprising thing I learned about the field of corporate communications was the connection between employee engagement and external brand perception," Lamothe said. "In the past, I thought corporate communication only focused on the external audience, as well as their customers and stakeholders, but the internship experience showed me that internal communication plays a crucial role.”
Advice for soon-to-be interns
Looking ahead, Lamothe offered advice to students about to embark on their internships: “It is okay to seem lost at first, but once you’re settled in, show them each and every single skill you can offer. Also, have fun and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
For more information regarding career and internship opportunities, contact Jonathan Tobin in Penn State Scranton’s Career Services office in the campus' Study Learning Center at 570-963-2690 or [email protected].
