“I’m a strong believer that if you work hard enough at something, you can be the best at it,” said Brendan Ryan COM’26. That mindset has guided him through his studies and leadership roles on campus, ultimately leading him to a summer internship at Colgate-Palmolive as a Talent Attraction and Engagement Intern.

As a rising senior Communication major with a specialization in Strategic Communication and Public Relations and two minors in Psychology and another in Organizational Leadership, Ryan has always been passionate and curious about the field. From serving as Recruitment Chair and now Vice President of Recruitment for his fraternity, Chi Psi, to his marketing internship with Rutgers Athletics, he has consistently sought opportunities to challenge himself and grow. “Those were two rewarding experiences that definitely contributed to giving me professional work experience outside of a traditional environment. So, having those serve as a medium for me to learn, to grow, and to try things out certainly helped a lot.”

Ryan discovered the Colgate-Palmolive internship program through LinkedIn, submitting applications to a wide range of large companies. While his internship with Rutgers Athletics gave him a solid foundation in sports marketing, he was eager to try something new, particularly drawn to roles in the consumer-packaged goods industry.

While his internship with Rutgers Athletics gave him a solid foundation in sports marketing, he was eager to try something new, particularly drawn to roles in the consumer-packaged goods industry.

Industry connections he made with an alumnus of his fraternity helped him stand out as an applicant, but his coursework also gave him an edge. In his Audience and Marketing Analysis class with Assistant Professor of Communication Jianing Li, Ryan completed a project analyzing Colgate-Palmolive’s marketing and audience strategies. He shared the project with the recruitment team, giving them a clear example of his skills and initiative. His drive ultimately scored him the position.

As a Talent Attraction and Engagement Intern, Ryan’s main focus was promoting the Colgate-Palmolive brand as an employer. He interviewed interns, wrote articles about their experiences working for the company, and reported his findings to his supervisor help the company better align its image as an employer with its external image.

While helping the company improve its culture and employer branding, Ryan was simultaneously discovering just how supportive and welcoming that culture actually was.

“People genuinely want you to grow. Even though you’re there to help the company, they want you to succeed professionally for yourself.” His manager encouraged him to meet with colleagues across departments, giving him exposure to executives like the Chief Communications Officer and providing invaluable networking opportunities beyond his respective role.

As rewarding as the internship was, Ryan said it did include challenges. Since his role fell under Human Resources, not communications or marketing, Ryan had to quickly adjust to that side of the business, which was completely new to him. “I had a very preconceived notion of what HR was like … but my big takeaway is to have an open mind, because it ended up being amazing,” he said. By embracing the unfamiliar and working hard, he found the role to be a perfect blend of his marketing and recruitment experience from Rutgers.

Reflecting on his time at Colgate-Palmolive, Ryan noted how much his Rutgers experiences and professors had prepared him to succeed.

Reflecting on his time at Colgate-Palmolive, Ryan noted how much his Rutgers experiences and professors had prepared him to succeed. Courses like Principles of Public Relations with Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Communication Mark Beal, Principles of Interviewing with Assistant Teaching Professor Erin Christie Ph.D.’14, and Public Speaking with Lecturer Jay Stefanelli provided him with both practical skills and confidence.

He also highlighted the value of his fraternity. “I enjoy being surrounded by a group of like-minded individuals who all care about their futures, and pursue more than just a social life as they look for ways to become better people and grow professionally.”

Looking ahead, Ryan sees himself continuing to explore the HR field, but he is especially interested in brand management opportunities. While he plans to apply to a variety of companies after graduation, his internship reinforced how much he admired Colgate-Palmolive’s culture and the kind of supportive environment he hopes to find again in the future.

Learn more about the Communication major on the School of Communication and Information website.