Eastin Family WORX Internship Program
May 1, 2024
Founded in 2014 by ESD parent Robert Shive P’13,’14,’18, supported by the Alumni Association, College Guidance Department, and Dads’ Partnership, WORX began with a simple premise: to give high school students an early look at career possibilities through summer internship offerings. In 2021, Monica and Joe Eastin P’24,’26,’29 named and endowed the WORX Program, ensuring its future as a permanent student offering for years to come.
Ellison Mattocks '24 - WORX Partner: SKOCH, Marketing (Ellie Skochdopole Wolfe ’11, Founder)
What areas of personal development and career awareness did your internship provide you? What experiences were most impactful?
At SKOCH, I had the opportunity to research client practices, analyze competitors, and develop modern social media strategies to help rejuvenate the client's Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts. I loved getting to explore business strategies that I didn’t know much about. I had the opportunity to learn about editorial calendars and market strategies while finding my own marketing style. I've never considered myself a creative person, but my WORX Partner helped me realize there are so many sides to creativity, and they helped me open up to that concept.
In what ways did your internship influence the college major and/or career path you hope to pursue?
I was originally focused on a STEM-based major, like mechanical engineering. However, my time with SKOCH influenced my pursuit of business in many of my college applications. It opened my eyes to the array of jobs and opportunities in the marketing and business world, and I'm so thankful for the time I was able to spend as an intern at SKOCH.
Charles Liu '24 - WORX Partner: Blake P. Mitchell, Ph.D., PC Psychology/Counseling
What areas of personal development and career awareness did your internship provide you, and what experiences were most impactful?
I assisted Dr. Blake Mitchell with organizing data and imputing test results from psychological tests. Through my internship, I was able to learn many essential skills for analyzing psychological tests and writing reports. I was also able to shadow Dr. Mitchell during evaluation sessions and court hearings. Attending court hearings was my favorite experience, because I was able to see firsthand that the work of a forensic psychologist isn’t just limited to the office but overlaps with many other career fields.
In what ways did your internship influence the college major and/or career path you hope to pursue?
Going into my internship, I was pretty certain about becoming a psychology researcher. However, my internship helped me discover all the possibilities and career outcomes of majoring in psychology. By the end of my internship, I became more interested in becoming a forensic psychologist and running my own private practice.
Kieran Awbrey '24 - WORX Partner: PlaneSmart! Aviation, Business Aviation
What areas of personal development and career awareness did your internship provide you? What experiences were most impactful?
During my time at PlaneSmart! Aviation, I worked in every facet of the business, from the marketing and accounting departments to aircraft maintenance and flight missions. I was able to contribute to the team in my various data marketing projects. I also worked with Excel spreadsheets during these projects, providing analysis to support my findings and allowing the team to make use of them. The best part was that I felt that I was truly part of the team, and the staff believed in my abilities to work right alongside them.
In what ways did your internship influence the college major and/or career path you hope to pursue?
I was able to learn more about airplanes and aviation mechanics, which I am really interested in. I was also able to work in every department of the business, giving me a very diverse experience and perspective going into college.
Charlotte Tomlin '24 - WORX Partner: Dallas Mavericks Professional Sports Management
What areas of personal development and career awareness did your internship provide you, and what experiences were most impactful?
I worked with the social media team to come up with Instagram posts, TikToks, and Twitter posts for Draft Day. I researched potential draft picks for the podcast, with stats, fun facts, and assets that could be discussed on the podcast. I also worked with the corporate sponsorship team to research and meet with potential partners for their trips to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in addition to meeting with the Mexican Consulate to discuss outreach into the Latino community. My most impactful experience was helping with Media Day. I got to interact with all of the players and help with social media content. It was SO COOL! I absolutely loved it!
In what ways did your internship influence the college major and/or career path you hope to pursue?
I was set on sports journalism as my career path, but after working in so many areas of the sports business, I have absolutely no idea what I want to do, which is very exciting! I would love to work in sports, but I’m not sure if I would enjoy sports broadcasting, marketing, sales, or social media management. The people I worked with during my internship advised me to apply into strategic communications to allow me the best chance for career freedom, which is exactly what I did! I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to experience such a cool internship and learn so much about the sports world while also making amazing connections!
Desiree Matthews - WORX Partner Company: Hartline Barger LLP, Law (Brian Rawson ’96, Partner, Hartline Barger and Founding WORX Partner)
Why do you choose to be a WORX Program Partner?
I find mentoring and encouraging others personally fulfilling. I look back at my own journey and wish that I would have had an opportunity to participate in a program like the WORX Program during my high school years. This program and its partners offer ESD students a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to be successful in a wide range of career options. It also fosters confidence in the student’s ability to set and reach important career goals. It makes me feel like I’ve contributed in a small way to the success of our ESD WORX interns.
What tasks/assignments did your intern(s) perform that were beneficial to their personal/ career development?
Initially, our WORX interns were given a rudimentary course in what’s involved in the civil litigation process in Texas. They were then assigned a case to study, and asked to learn about the facts involved in the lawsuit, investigate and provide oral and written reports on the various discovery documents, and were assigned to represent either the plaintiff or defendant for a mock trial of the case.
How did your intern(s) benefit your company?
As a firm, we benefit from our WORX interns by being able to connect with a younger generation that offers new ideas on problem-solving and can provide insight about what inspires them to succeed in high-pressure/high-performance environments. It’s also beneficial to hear what our interns observe when they attend hearings and depositions with members of our firm. It’s especially validating to hear how much our students enjoy their internship and all of the knowledge they gain during their time with us.
ESD's mission is Igniting Lives of Purpose. Do you have advice for students interested in your career field that will help them on their path to finding purpose and living an intentionally fulfilled life?
Share your time, your knowledge, and your talent with others. Time is our most valuable resource, and when you take time to invest in others through mentorship, you really are sharing a part of yourself with everyone who benefits from that knowledge.
Erin George, Senior Partner and Managing Director - WORX Partner Company: Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Business/Consulting
Why do you choose to be a WORX Program Partner?
Providing early career experiences for high school students is so important – it helps open their eyes to new possibilities and gets them thinking early about where they want to focus in college to help set them up for career opportunities post-college.
What tasks/assignments did your intern(s) perform that were beneficial to their personal/career development?
Our interns conducted interviews, performed research, synthesized key points to communicate to the rest of the team, presented to Managing Directors, built Excel models, and worked within a team.
How did your intern(s) benefit your company?
BCG has a large internship program for both undergraduate and graduate students. Having high school students in the mix helps us understand what is on students' minds as they are about to enter college and helps us shape our recruiting messaging. Our WORX interns also helped us with a lot of legwork on several projects, which was awesome!
ESD's mission is Igniting Lives of Purpose. Do you have advice for students interested in your career field that will help them on their path to finding purpose and living an intentionally fulfilled life?
A career in consulting is largely about solving very ambiguous problems, which is an excellent skill to develop that will help you throughout your career. Consulting is a great launching pad for so many other careers (or for 20+ years in consulting like I have had!), and you learn so much in a very short time.
Edward Bogel ’05 and David Davidson ’05, Founders - WORX Partner Company: Davidson Bogel Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate
Why do you choose to be a WORX Program Partner?
We enjoy giving sharp young men and women the opportunity to join an office setting and hopefully gain a competitive advantage as they enter college and begin looking for full-time internships and employment.
What tasks/assignments did your intern(s) perform that were beneficial to their personal/ career development?
WORX interns in our office help with a variety of internal office management work, market research, and data entry. We believe it gives them a great glimpse into what working in a dynamic office environment looks like.
How did your intern(s) benefit your company?
Our interns were able to take a load off of some of our younger associates, which is invaluable to us, especially during a very busy market like we typically experience in DFW.
ESD's mission is Igniting Lives of Purpose. Do you have advice for students interested in your career field that will help them on their path to finding purpose and living an intentionally fulfilled life?
We would say that continuing to grow your network is one of the most important life skills you can have. Make a goal to meet with someone new as much as possible, and you will soon realize that your wide array of contacts is an invaluable resource to have both in your personal and professional life.
Natalie Chavez ’10, Elementary Educator and Tutor (Founder) - WORX Partner Company: The Write Equation, Education
Why do you choose to be a WORX Program Partner?
I helped conduct WORX interviews and was overly inspired by the students' responses and passions. They inspired me to do what I could to mentor future educators!
What tasks/assignments did your intern(s) perform that were beneficial to their personal/career development?
Our intern participated in a behind-the-scenes look at planning for reading and math summer camps geared toward elementary students. Our intern witnessed how teachers make decisions and alter lesson plans in real-time to best meet the needs of our students, in addition to having the opportunity to engage in hands-on, one-on-one instruction with students.
How did your intern(s) benefit your company?
In the career of teaching, it is always extremely beneficial to have extra hands willing to help out and engage with our students. Our intern clearly has a passion for a career in education and went above and beyond to learn, grow, and help.
ESD's mission is Igniting Lives of Purpose. Do you have advice for students interested in your career field that will help them on their path to finding purpose and living an intentionally fulfilled life?
Teaching can be a draining and arduous yet rewarding and cherished profession. It is so important that you love what you do and remember your WHY! One tiny moment in your day could be the one significant moment that changes a child's life. Your hard work matters, so believe in yourself, your passions, and your determination.
