More Than an Internship: Reflecting on 1.5 Years at Green Loop
When I started my internship at Green Loop Marketing a year and a half ago, I remember walking into an agency filled with talented, experienced marketers and wondering, “What could I possibly bring to the table that isn’t already here?”
At the time, I was studying marketing with a focus in digital marketing and graphic design, eager to gain agency experience and figure out what direction I wanted my career to take. Before Green Loop, I had interned at organizations like my university’s marketing department and a tourism bureau back home. While those experiences taught me valuable skills, I kept hearing the same piece of advice: if you ever have the opportunity to intern at an agency, take it. It will help you discover not only whether agency life is for you, but also what kind of marketer you want to become.
That advice stuck with me, and after hearing so many great things about Green Loop from a previous intern, Jenny Rodriguez, I decided to reach out and see if I could intern.
Now, after 1.5 years of learning, collaborating, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and growing both personally and professionally, I’m excited to officially begin my role as a Marketing Coordinator at Green Loop.
Emma’s first day as an intern at the Devour Indy Cocktail Competition
Confidence comes with experience
While I was excited to start at Green Loop, I was also incredibly intimidated. Green Loop is made up of more than 20 talented marketers, all with different strengths, experiences, and creative perspectives. Walking into that environment for the first time, I questioned what I could possibly contribute.
That feeling quickly faded.
From day one, I was welcomed with open arms. The team genuinely wanted to get to know me both professionally and personally. Instead of treating me as “just the intern,” they took the time to figure out what I was good at, where I wanted to grow, and how they could help me develop those skills.
Looking back, one of the biggest things I gained from this internship was confidence.
Over time, I became more involved in projects, brainstorming sessions, and client work. My confidence especially shifted during the middle of summer 2025 when Melanie extended my internship through the rest of my senior year. Around that time, I started taking on larger responsibilities, contributing more ideas, and joining client meetings where I was encouraged to speak and share my perspective.
That support helped me realize that growth happens when you stop waiting until you feel “ready” and start trusting your voice anyway.
That confidence didn’t just impact me professionally. It carried into leadership roles I held on campus, including serving as president of the American Marketing Association and Women in Business. Green Loop taught me that your ideas matter, regardless of your title or experience level.
Emma and Amelia unintentionally matching at a client shoot with Ryan Levengood from The Restoracy
Every brand has a story
One of the things I was most excited about when joining an agency was the opportunity to work across different industries and clients. Every brand communicates differently, and learning how to adapt messaging for different audiences became one of my favorite parts of the job.
One client experience that especially stands out is working on Indiana CPA Society and student accounting content.
If you had told me before this internship that I would genuinely enjoy marketing accounting content, I probably would not have believed you. At first, it felt completely outside my comfort zone. But through strategy conversations, audience research, and content creation, I realized something important: no brand is “boring” when you take the time to understand the people behind it.
I loved finding ways to make technical industries feel engaging, approachable, and human, especially for student audiences. It challenged me creatively and completely changed the way I think about marketing.
Throughout my internship, I also had the opportunity to work on Green Loop email campaigns, blogs, social media content, and client projects across multiple industries. One of my favorite things about agency life is that no two days look the same. Every project pushes you to think differently, solve problems creatively, and better understand the audience you are speaking to.
Green Loop team at an Indy Design Week panel supporting Melanie
Collaboration changes everything
One thing that surprised me most about agency life at Green Loop was the culture.
Before starting here, I had heard stories about fast-paced agency environments that felt overwhelming or overly competitive. My experience at Green Loop was the complete opposite.
At Green Loop, mistakes are treated as learning experiences, not failures. Feedback is collaborative, not intimidating. Everyone values each other’s opinions, ideas, and perspectives, regardless of role or title.
Some of my favorite moments during my internship were our Creative Block Busters, where the team comes together to brainstorm ideas and collaborate creatively. Watching how everyone builds off one another’s ideas showed me how powerful collaboration truly is.
I also could not reflect on my experience without mentioning Melanie’s impact on my growth over the past 1.5 years.
More than anything, Melanie taught me confidence. Through our one-on-one meetings, she continuously encouraged me to advocate for myself, trust my ideas, and recognize my potential. Those conversations never felt purely professional; she genuinely cared about me as both a student and a person navigating the beginning of my career.
Having mentors who support you, challenge you, and believe in you makes all the difference, and I will always be grateful for that guidance.
Green Loop design team retreat 2026
Marketing is both creative and strategic
Before Green Loop, I understood marketing mostly from a creative perspective. I enjoyed content creation, writing captions, and graphic design, but I didn’t fully understand the strategy behind it all.
This internship completely changed that.
One of the biggest lessons I learned is that strong marketing is intentional. Great content does not happen by accident. Every campaign, caption, email, or social strategy starts with research, audience understanding, collaboration, and purpose.
I gained experience in areas I had hoped to learn more about, including analytics, email marketing, live event posting, and content strategy. I also learned how much research goes into understanding audiences and creating messaging that actually resonates with them.
Green Loop showed me that marketing is not just about making something look good. It is about understanding people, telling meaningful stories, and creating content that connects with audiences in an authentic way.
Looking ahead
Looking back, this experience became so much more than an internship.
Over the past 1.5 years, I have grown as a marketer, leader, teammate, and person. I gained confidence in my voice, discovered what excites me about agency life, and built relationships that made Green Loop feel like home long before transitioning into my full-time role.
Starting as a Marketing Coordinator feels exciting, not because it is entirely new, but because I already feel like part of the team. I am incredibly grateful for everyone at Green Loop who invested in me, encouraged me, and helped shape the start of my career.
I’m excited to continue learning, taking on new projects, and growing alongside a team that has already taught me so much.
Emma Hendrix
MARKETING COORDINATOR