Summer Interns Explore Marketing, User Experience and Customer Service

Interns showcased their summer experiences and personal stories at with IT Services team at UC Office of the President on August 14, 2025, where colleagues gathered to celebrate the creativity, skills and impact they brought to their roles. Hosted in a hybrid format with both in-person and Zoom attendees, the event drew a strong turnout and created space for connection and reflection on a summer of learning and collaboration.

The hybrid setup encouraged lively conversation between interns, UCOP colleagues, and members of the ITS Engagement Committee, highlighting both accomplishments and career advice for students beginning their professional journeys.

When your professional career starts at UC Office of the President

Three interns took the spotlight to share their experiences and achievements:

Daniel Longoria – ITS Digital Content & Design Intern
Stephanie Leivas – ITS Digital Content & Design Intern
Camille Pon – ITCS Intern

Each intern brought a unique perspective, reflecting both technical skills and personal growth over the course of the summer. For each of them, UC Office of the President provided their very first internship and professional work experience.

Stephanie, UCB, Daniel, UCLA, and Camille, UCI

Daniel Longoria: Designing with People in Mind

During the summer, Daniel worked with the UCOP Digital Engagement & Experience (DXE) team, contributing to a range of initiatives: designing SharePoint sites tailored to stakeholder needs, producing UC Tech podcasts and articles that spotlighted innovators across the UC system, and helping manage UC Tech’s social media presence across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Through these projects, he strengthened key skills, including:

Designed user-friendly platforms that improved accessibility and user experience.
Produced compelling stories through articles, podcasts, graphics, and visuals.
Collaborated with stakeholders, integrating feedback into designs and strategies.
Organized content strategies that enhanced engagement and digital presence.

One of Daniel’s biggest highlights was leading the UC IT Repository Rebrand. The repository serves as a central resource hub for UCOP employees, housing key documents, guides, and tools to support daily ITS work. What had once been a little-used and difficult-to-navigate site was transformed into a curated, user-friendly destination that employees could rely on. By conducting user research, testing designs, and gathering stakeholder feedback, Daniel ensured the rebrand addressed real needs and pain points. Through this process, he learned firsthand how adaptability and stakeholder-centered thinking drive successful design.

“This internship showed me how much design is about people, not just pixels. Every project was a chance to learn how to listen, adapt, and create something that makes life easier for others.”

*Daniel had the opportunity to attend the 2025 UC Tech Conference, assisting Laurel at the UC Tech News booth and connecting with the UC community*

Stephanie Leivas: Storytelling through Design

This summer, Stephanie worked closely with the UCOP Digital Engagement & Experience (DXE) team, contributing to a range of projects:

Designing marketing and promotional materials for ITS communications.
Tracking and analyzing social media metrics (MailChimp, LinkedIn, Youtube).
Strengthening her client management skills through blog publications.
Accessibility practices in inclusive design.

One of the highlights of her internship was launching the UC Tech News LinkedIn business page and leading the rebrand of the UC Tech Talk podcast series, along with Daniel Longoria and Laurel Skurko. As part of the rebrand, she designed a new banner that incorporated photos to create a more personable and relatable brand presence, with plans to implement the banner consistently across all platforms. She and her team are also experimenting with Podbean, which will become the main channel for hosting and sharing the podcast series.

In addition, Stephanie gained valuable hands-on experience with digital communications, content strategy, and client management. Her work emphasized how thoughtful design and intentional storytelling can strengthen UC Tech’s community impact.

“Throughout this internship I have learned that branding is more than design. It’s a way to tell stories with intention, to reach people where they are, and to create impact that lasts.”

Camille Pon: Supporting People through IT

As a two-year intern with IT Client Services, Camille provided direct support to UCOP employees. Her responsibilities included:

Communicating with employees through ServiceNow, Zoom, and Outlook.
Troubleshooting hardware and software issues both remotely and in person.
Configuring laptops for onboarding and coordinating laptop refreshes.
Managing employee accounts and mailboxes.
Hands-on experience with Active Directory, O365 Exchange, BigFix, and Duo.

These responsibilities gave her the chance to gain technical experience with enterprise systems and the opportunity to develop communication and problem-solving skills. Through completing tickets in ServiceNow and speaking to employees onsite, she gained the confidence and ability to explain technical ideas in a clear, helpful way. One of the highlights of her internship has been helping to onboard new employees, ensuring their equipment was ready for a smooth first-day experience.

“When I first started, I was nervous about talking with employees, but now I’ve become more confident. I really appreciate the thanks I receive from employees, and it motivates me to make sure they have a positive experience whenever they reach out to my team for help.”

What’s Next for These Summer Interns

As the 2025 summer internships come to a close, we thank our interns for their creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm. Each is now preparing to take the next step in their academic journey.

Stephanie Leivas will return to UC Berkeley to complete her senior year, earning a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Education. Looking ahead, she hopes to pursue a career in marketing communications and digital design, where she can merge her data analytics background and passion for digital storytelling. Furthermore, Stephanie is strongly committed to the education system and aims to use her creative eye to uplift the UC community, capturing stories that inspire and enhance the future of digital design.
Daniel Longoria will begin his senior year at UCLA, pursuing a B.S. in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Computing and a minor in Digital Humanities. Building on his passion for design and communication, he hopes to continue growing in roles that blend web design, digital marketing, and user experience strategy. Inspired by the supportive mentorship and hands-on opportunities at UCOP, Daniel is eager to pursue future opportunities within the UC system to further his impact in digital engagement and design.
Camille Pon completes her final year at UC Irvine, graduating with a B.S. in Computer Science. With a strong interest in Information Technology developed through her internship with IT Client Services, she plans to pursue a career in the field and hopes to continue advancing within the UC system. She looks forward to applying the skills she has gained and embracing opportunities to learn and grow as she begins her professional journey.

Their achievements demonstrate the impact interns bring to UC each summer, and we look forward to following where their paths lead next. Among those who presented, we were also proud to feature other ITS interns who showcased their own contributions and growth: