When I started my summer internship last month at MSI, I had no idea what to expect. Like most college students starting an internship for the first time, my mind was racing with questions. What will I be doing every day? Will my co-workers be friendly? How do I even get there? After careful research, I have begun to figure out why MSI’s employees love coming in to work every morning. Below is just a taste.
The Flavia Coffee Machine
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I start my commute down to the city at 6:15 every morning. By the time I get myself onto the 50th floor of Chicago’s Aon Center, I’m ready for a nice cup o’ Joe. With 18 unique flavors of coffees, teas, and hot chocolate, I know that Flavia always has my back. Further, the Flavia machine seems to be the most underrated item in the office. One co-worker expressed his concerns in an e-mail. “I don’t know anything about coffee but I know Flavia tastes like murky swamp water. And yes, I’ve consumed murky swamp water.” I assure you, he knows nothing about the true magic of Flavia.
The Aon Center and its View
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The great thing about being 50 floors up in the Loop is that no matter where you look out of, you have an amazing view. I mean, come on, how can you look out that window and possibly feel stressed out? Then, on your lunch break, you can take the double stacked luxury elevator down to the shops on the ground level. The restaurants, such as Soprafinna, Au Bon Pain, and Jimmy Johns offer workers a variety of choices for a quick lunch. There’s even a barbershop and a post office. You could literally live in the Aon Center.
The Inordinate Amount of Free Food
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Someone in MSI’s upper management must have figured out the key to any intern’s heart– food. Since I’ve been here we’ve had donuts delivered every Monday and a variety of fresh fruits placed in the office daily. Normally, I would be content with just that, but at MSI, there are no holds barred. Craving leftovers from client lunches? Check the kitchen (right next to the good ol’ Flavia machine) and help yourself. Last but certainly not least, I’m told these popcorn and cotton candy machines have been known to make an appearance (I don’t believe it because I haven’t seen them come out once– hint, hint MSI).
The Co-Workers
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At MSI, no question goes unanswered, and no smile goes unreturned. You can tell that every employee, from a freelance designer to an administrative assistant, truly cares about the work done here. Make no mistake, this is the farthest thing from a standard agency, conducting business as usual, in a skyscraper. No day is routine in this office. I know that everything I have done since my start was honestly appreciated by the team I work with and that they would never give me tasks just because they didn’t want do to it themselves. Perhaps that is the reason MSI has been so successful for more than 50 years.
Rick Brandt is a Public Relations Intern from the University of Iowa, where he is majoring in Journalism & Mass Communications. In his free time, he manages the college food blog, CollegeFed.com, and Iowa’s Public Relations Student Society of America blog at iowaprssa.wordpress.com. Follow Rick on Twitter at @RickBrandt18
