The Voids Created by Kath(a)rine Rose and Kath(e)rine Blackburn
One of my biggest sources of pride in running Starkman is when critical functions are performed extraordinarily well – and I had absolutely nothing to do with the effort.
Starkman’s internship program is certainly one of them. Identifying, recruiting, and training exceptional young talent is a formidable challenge for any company. It’s something Starkman excels at; our previous two interns are now valued full-time employees. That said, I’m clueless as to how we do it.
At some point during the first week of June each year, I show up for work and am introduced to someone identified as our new intern. Jackie was long responsible for the program, but this year she gladly handed the baton to Lauren, who interned with us two years ago. In what I first suspected was some sort of practical joke given my penchant for confusing names, Lauren introduced me to this year’s recruits as “the Katha(e)rines.” Technically, that’s not quite true as the two share a first name but use different spellings. There was Katharine Rose – with an “a” – and Katherine Blackburn – with an “e.” Our deep appreciation to Ms. Blackburn’s parents, who raised her with the nickname “Kate!” It made things much less confusing.
Katharine is a student at the College of the Holy Cross, which has an impressive internship support program: The school’s alumni cover the costs of an internship stipend, provided participating companies ensure a meaningful work experience. Kate, who was referred to us by someone whose impeccably high professional standards we very much admire, is a student at Wake Forest University. Coincidentally, we have clients who are active alumni from both schools.
During a particularly busy time for Starkman, both Katharine and Kate proved to be fearless and relentless, and quickly demonstrated an impressive command of the client accounts they were assigned to work on. Within days, Katharine could explain why the housing crisis is far from over and Kate readily understood that a BRIC is not something used to build houses. For Lauren, the duo was an immediate godsend, as they relieved her of some critical time-intensive account support activities.
But it was not just their work ethic that won the Starkman team over: Katharine and Kate also revealed an appreciation for cupcakes and bagels and were sympatico with our firm’s food-obsessed culture — the icing on the cake, so to speak. Their will to pursue new lunchtime adventures (such as Cuban pork sandwiches) and their appetites for new culinary endeavors impressed us as much as their drive and determination.
Both Katharine and Kate successfully managed multiple projects with varying deadlines throughout their internships. We often asked them to quickly shift gears between tasks, and both did so without blinking twice. When they finished one task, they immediately asked for another, ultimately assuming more work and responsibility than typically should be expected of a college intern. As for their dedication, on multiple occasions they both asked if it would be possible to work beyond their designated hours so they could see various projects to completion.
As for being the proverbial team players, Katharine and Kate were more than gracious when the hiring of a new employee required them to sit at a somewhat isolated workstation internally dubbed “Siberia.” Indeed, as best we can tell, Katharine and Kate don’t have a capacity for complaining. They also upheld another record: Never once has a Starkman intern shown up late for work.
Actions speak louder than words, so here is the ultimate endorsement of Katharine’s and Kate’s talents and abilities. We’ve let them know they are welcome back as full-time employees after they graduate. It’s another tradition we are hoping they will help us continue.
Blogs by Kate and Katharine:
La Vita è bella – In America, that is by Katharine Rose
Did a Company Really Tweet That? Don’t Make Me Twiggle by Katherine Blackburn