Taking a Marketing Internship while studying at St Clare’s

Janek Bielski is currently studying our Undergraduate Programme as well as gaining invaluable work experience as a Marketing intern at St Clare’s. He has been studying their since September and is due to return to the University of San Diego in January.

On 1 December 2017, he took over St Clare’s Instagram to highlight a day in the life of a St Clare’s student. We sat down with Janek to find out how he balances study, work and social activities while living in Oxford.

Why did you choose St Clare’s?

I chose St Clare’s because I was born and raised in Kingston Upon Thames in South West London and I wanted the opportunity to come back to the UK.

St Clare’s was the best option for me. I heard great things from my peers from my home institution, The University of San Diego about their experiences at St Clare’s and so I wanted to try it for myself!

St Clare’s offered the opportunity to complete a Marketing Internship while studying in Oxford which is a great fit for me as I’m a Undergraduate Programme student looking for a well-rounded study abroad experience.

How have you found your time here in Oxford?

Oxford is a great city. I think as a student it has everything you need to self-sustain, great restaurants and a good nightlife.

My accommodation has been excellent. I have been at a homestay therefore living with a family which has been wonderful and they have been very accepting and welcoming. They have been really kind and I have had everything I need.

What do you study and what are the classes like?

I’m majoring in Communications Studies and my minor is in Leadership Studies. My classes here are quite different than in my home institution in that they are extremely small. It’s a smaller community which I personally function better in, as opposed to large lectures and seminar courses.

It’s a much more intimate academic environment and I think I have benefited greatly from it so far.

What is the difference between life here and in America?

A lot of things. I think in a cultural sense the UK and the US are very different as far as humor and mannerisms are concerned.

One the biggest differences is being exposure to people from different cultures here at St Clare’s, it is an international college. I don’t get that back home in San Diego, as most people are either from the US or Canada.

What are you learning in your Marketing Internship?

I started my internship in September in the capacity of a digital marketing role. My role varied from website development to search engine optimisation.

I looked at print media and made suggestions on how to improve existing print materials and how to market St Clare’s as an academic institution and ultimately as a product.

You took over St Clare’s Instagram for a day? Can you tell me about this?

Last Friday, I took over the St Clare’s Instagram. I went on the page for a day and documented what a day in the life of a St Clare’s student was like, taking viewers around Oxford to some of its most notable locations. This included the Radcliffe Camera, the university church steps to view the panoramic views of Oxford, a classic pub lunch at The Turf Tavern and then the colleges where Harry Potter was filmed. Various quintessential Oxford endeavors were encompassed in my Instagram live day.

What made you want to take over St Clare’s Instagram?

After analysing St Clare’s content and their marketing initiatives, the one thing that they lacked was user-driven content and more authentic content from students themselves. So I thought it would be interesting to see what student life was like in Oxford from the student perspective, which is why I chose the Instagram day.

How have you found your internship overall?

The internship has been great. I think Paul has been a great mentor and working just one on one with him has been beneficial to my growth and my advancement.

Are you glad you came to St Clare’s to study and complete a Marketing Internship?

I am glad I completed my internship at St Clare’s! I don’t think there are many other places that would have allowed me to tick both of those boxes in terms of studying  while competing my internship. The great advantage was that it was such a small learning community. And so this helped me accomplish both.

That is the best thing about St Clare’s?

The best thing is the people and how small and intimate the campus is and the friendly atmosphere. You really get to know everybody on a personal level and you make really good friendships that last for a long time.

Find out more about our Undergraduate Programme

Read more about University Pathways