My first day as an intern at Beehive PR went something like this: wake up early, shower, dress, give my puppy a big hug, walk out the door and whoops! We were in the middle of a surprise early season snow storm. As I headed into the office, Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of Talent and Operations, called me with genuine care to make sure I was safe on the road. As I arrived, I was greeted with smiles and warmth to combat the cold outside. I jumped right in, asked to write a press release in my first morning and getting a full immersion tour of Beehive’s work in the afternoon. For lunch, Beehive ordered in food for the office, which we enjoyed together in the atrium. My first day was indicative of many at Beehive – full of warmth, community, challenges and learning.

I certainly have a resume-like list of accomplishments from my time at the hive: wrote and published a front-page article, tweeted on behalf of international companies, measured and analyzed data, produced vines, blog articles and press releases. I greatly expanded my writing repertoire and learned to write in multiple voices.

But apart from learning technical skills, I was exposed to a number of essential practical skills not taught in university textbooks – how to manage and record time, proper email etiquette, how to add finishing touches to a project. I learned the importance of measurement and reporting and how to interact with colleagues. The women and men of Beehive taught me how to work successfully in an office environment.

At the hive, I was surrounded by a leadership team of brilliant, strong, business-savvy women. In a business world still dominated by men, I was spoiled by having multiple role models of successful business women right in front of me every day. These women shared insights on strategy, branding, design, writing and business relations. By example, they showed how to actively engage with their work, homes and communities. Each day I worked with women who interacted on equal footing with executives and clients at the highest levels.

I live in San Francisco now, so I don’t expect any surprise snow storms (although I do watch out for earthquakes). Despite leaving inclement weather behind, I carry with me the technical and practical skills and women role models I found during my internship at Beehive.