The Northeast Maglev would like to take a moment to introduce our Summer 2019 Social Media Intern, UMBC Honors Student, Samuel Adebesin. Samuel is currently pursuing a dual degree in Communications and Psychology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He’s been inducted into the UMBC Honors College and the school’s Humanities Scholars Program.
Samuel stands out as a leader on the UMBC campus where he has served in many positions at the University. He has served on the Senate for the University’s Humanities Scholars Program, as well as on the Executive Board of UMBC Cleftomaniacs, a co-ed acapella group, which he aided in winning 1st place in the quarterfinals for the International Championship of Collegiate Acappella in 2018.
Sam is currently a Staff Writer for the UMBC newspaper, the Retriever Weekly, and an employee in the UMBC Campus Information Center. Samuel thanks his mother for teaching him what it means to be hardworking.
When Sam is not journaling about the latest events across the University’s campus, he is writing short stories of his own. Since the age of 8 Samuel has been executing his passion for storytelling. To date, he has written five narratives, three of which are entitled 62 Phone Calls, Days of Silence and An Unbreakable Deal. A major goal of his is to one day write a book for mass publication.
As a Social Media Intern for the Northeast Maglev, Samuel has been tasked with creating various communications and marketing campaigns for the company’s social media channels. He plans to use his storytelling abilities to help the Communications and Marketing team build a strategy that will be used for engaging with younger audiences across the company’s various social media platforms.
Currently, Sam is working on putting together a comprehensive analysis on the company’s online social media presence. Or in his own words, conducting a research project that he calls “The Profile on our Profiles”. His research involves performing in depth data collection that will assist the team in improving content, conversion and the overall user experience.
Sam will act as a researcher, collecting and analyzing data, and as an advisor, providing feedback on what tactics the company should practice. Samuel believes the most important part of his job is showcasing the personality of the company through social media. Proving that the Northeast Maglev is more than just an office building in downtown Baltimore, of business-people, working 9 to 5. He states, “more important than getting the word out, is bringing people into our work, behind the scenes of what we do. It is important to show the people that make up this company, and why we are all choosing to work to make the vision of the Northeast Maglev a reality.”
During his internship, Samuel not only wants to find ways to use social media to attract a younger audience, but to also show our audience that The Northeast Maglev is more than just a team, and more like a family. “It’s the reason I chose this internship,” he states. “I got the sense that the company was a family of people who were willing to meet me at my level of experience and support my growth and learning while I intern here.”
So far, he says, he is enjoying his internship immensely. “Aside from the opportunity to take advantage of the candy drawer in the kitchen, my internship has allowed me to utilize the skills that I have developed throughout my education.” This internship is a one of a kind experience, according to Sam, giving him the opportunity to build upon his skills.
Samuel’s advice for anyone seeking an internship to better their knowledge within a particular field is to “look for internships that you think will actually relate to your interests and allow you to learn on the job. Internships in which your only responsibility is getting people coffee or constantly waiting to be told what to do, may not help you to figure out what your skills are and what kind of workplace suits you. If you’re nervous that you don’t have the skills to do a job, but you think you might be able to learn, apply anyway, because the worst that will happen is that a potential employer will say ‘no’ and you go back to the drawing board.”
His tenacity and creativity have made him a great fit for The Northeast Maglev. His excitement for the research and the construction of the maglev train is shown in his work and enthusiasm. “I think the train is an incredibly exciting opportunity to take advantage of innovative technology.” Finding ways to reduce our environmental impact on the world and embrace greener practices is a growing imperative for society, so learning about how the train can reduce some of the harmful chemicals that are produced in the Northeast corridor increased my support for the project.”