By Regan Shepard, Q2 Marketing Communications Intern

I first learned about Q2 in my sophomore year of college. I was searching for different internship opportunities and Q2 was the perfect fit to put my communication major into action, all while working for a company with a clear mission and excellent reputation in the market. In order to get my foot in the door, I reached out to the communications director and kept in touch throughout the year – discussing communication opportunities and advice. Towards the end of my junior year, I applied for the Q2 internship program and secured a position as a marketing communications intern for the summer of 2020. I was thrilled to receive the news of my acceptance and eager to learn more about how my field of study can be applied to a real-world environment.

Then, COVID-19 hit. As jobs across the country were discontinued or moved online, internships were also affected as companies delayed or canceled their efforts. To my relief, Q2 reassured the 2020 interns that the program would continue in a reimagined virtual format.

A purpose-driven program

I approached my Q2 internship with high expectations, but I wondered how the program would adapt to provide a valuable learning experience for the 35 interns joining the Q2 team. Despite the circumstances, it was clear the Q2 team responsible for creating the internship program was committed to providing a meaningful experience for the 2020 interns –one that transcended “busy work.” Even though interns logged on from their respective remote locations across the country, Q2’s friendly culture shone through during our virtual new-hire orientation.

I quickly learned that the permanent Q2 team members would treat us with the same degree of respect as they treated each other. This translated to the work the interns would carry out over 12 weeks; being part of the team meant that we would be expected to perform at a professional level. By giving us large amounts of respect and responsibility, I believe Q2 has created a profound opportunity to discover our strengths and provide a space to grow. For me, this has meant tackling corporate blogs, helping to design a company-wide system for managing speaker biographies, working on a final research project I will present to the Q2 executive team, and much more. Along with our individual responsibilities to our teams, we also attend a “Weekly Intern Learning” class, where we learn from Q2 leaders about various topics like resume building and career journeys, study digital banking, and engage in short activities to network with fellow interns. I especially enjoy engaging with our leaders – they all share inspiring advice and why working at Q2 is so gratifying to them.

In addition to the work, I have enjoyed learning about the different aspects of Q2’s culture. Although work is virtual, Q2 has made it possible to attend online culture events, allowing us to interact in a social setting via Zoom with hundreds of different Q2 employees across the globe. I have personally enjoyed the cocktail hours hosted by our company founder and our EVP of People, virtual concerts with a local Austin band or other in-house DJs, and game nights like Bingo and Trivia, as they present fun ways to get to know the Q2 team. I am working from my bedroom, but like my new colleagues, I am creating content that matters and maintaining a perfect work-life balance thanks to Q2.

Mission makes a difference

Q2’s mission to build stronger communities by strengthening their financial institutions is an essential part of what motivated me to apply to the internship program. To reinforce that value, the company recently added a new requirement for the 2020 interns, requiring us to complete at least one hour of online community service each week. For me, this feature is a huge differentiator and illustrates the notion that helping online communities is genuinely a top priority for Q2. I have spent my community service hours transcribing historical documents for the Smithsonian and creating subtitles for TED Talks to help their messages be accessible to everyone. This experience has had a huge impact on my views of giving back and has motivated me to make a personal commitment to donate a portion of my summer earnings to nonprofits and charities. Since the internship began, I have donated to The Environmental Defense Fund and NALEO Educational Fund.

Irreplaceable experience

Q2 has taught me the importance of adapting. Adjusting to challenges and refusing to settle for “good enough” is a vital strategy in establishing yourself as a valued team member. I have gained irreplaceable experience working on Q2’s marketing and strategy team and cannot thank them enough for what they taught me. They have taught me the value of crafting tailored messages and responding to the needs of the industry. I have also learned about the importance of company culture and finding the balance between your work and home life – especially in the middle of a pandemic. I am immensely grateful for the experience that I have gained at Q2; while it may have been virtual in nature, the knowledge I am taking with me into my future is very real.