Penn State Interns

Our story

In spring of 2020, the Lightsource bp Communications team partnered with Penn State’s Sustainability Community Collaborative and Professor Karen Winterich who teaches Sustainable Marketing in the Penn State Smeal College of Business. Throughout the semester, a class of 38 students researched to better understand consumer attitudes toward solar and then proposed a marketing plan for Lightsource bp in the US based on their findings. Recommended ideas included a real-life story campaign, the addition of a community webpage, social media updates, a PSU annual report, and more.

Ultimately, through Penn State’s Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Lightsource bp, students from many disciplines have the opportunity to participate in internships during construction of the project and after the solar array is built. When the marketing project concluded, three Penn State students from the class joined the Lightsource bp team as summer interns. Emily Marsh and Samantha Bott supported the Marketing department, while Elise McGrath joined the Development team. While they weren’t able to be in the traditional office setting due to COVID-19, they worked remotely from home and successfully implemented many different ideas from their spring semester project. Lightsource bp team members from Communications and Development met virtually with the interns to provide guidance and feedback on their projects.

Here’s what our interns have to say about their experiences:

“I was first introduced to Lightsource bp through my BA 442, Sustainable Marketing, class at Penn State. After hearing about the marketing internships available over the summer, I was excited about the opportunity to continue working with a company that shares my passion for creating a sustainable world for both present and future generations.”

– Samantha Bott, Penn State Graduate, Summer ’20 Marketing Intern at Lightsource bp

“I have learned so much from working on various projects in the Northeast and learning about the project development process along the way. I am so grateful for this opportunity and to be able to work for a company that upholds the same values I do!”

– Elise McGrath, Penn State Student, Summer ’20 Development Intern at Lightsource bp

“I was able to continue the work that my class started by joining Lightsource bp as a Marketing intern for the summer. I have gained hands-on experience with social media campaigns, website design, and communication skills and it has been so exciting to see our work come to fruition over the last eight weeks! I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to learn more about marketing and the solar industry.”

– Emily Marsh, Penn State Student, Summer ’20 Marketing Intern at Lightsource bp