By: Alex Truex

Kassidy Saba is always on the go! When she’s not busy with school and leading the Arrowhead team, Kassidy directs creative photoshoots for Strike magazine, the largest student-run pop culture magazine in the nation! She spends her vacation time volunteering at music festivals around the world, the most recent being Envision Costa Rica.  

Recently, thanks to Kassidy’s connections to the company, International Business Machines Corporation hosted a workshop on AI marketing for the Arrowhead team. 

Arrowhead: Tell us about how your time as an intern at IBM helped shape your career?  

Kassidy Saba: My journey with IBM started in the summer of 2023 through their college career-building program. I shadowed professionals, which gave me great insight into different roles. Through IBM’s Accelerate program, I was able to fine-tune my resume and interview skills. By summer 2024, I was interning full-time as a brand marketing intern at IBM’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. I got hands-on experience with real projects and worked with entry-level professionals, which really helped me learn the ropes. Interning at IBM also led to receiving a return offer, so not only did I gain practical experience, but I also secured a job opportunity there!  

A: What was the most valuable aspect of your internship with IBM? 

KS: One of the most valuable aspects was the exposure to different perspectives. The internship had students from various universities, so I was constantly learning new ideas and approaches to marketing. Working in both in-house and through external agency settings allowed me to understand how IBM approaches brand strategy from all angles. One of my favorite projects was creating a brand collaboration for IBM to boost relevancy. It was such a creative task, and I had a lot of freedom throughout the process. Our mentors were super helpful and had an open-door policy, even for the smallest questions.  

A: How did the IBM workshop prepare you and the Arrowhead team for your future careers?  

KS: The IBM workshop was incredibly insightful. We learned how AI is going to be integrated into our day-to-day jobs and we even got to experiment with IBM’s chatbots. Toward the end, IBM’s head recruiters gave us great tips on how to stand out in interviews and on our resumes, which was super helpful. Through this experience, we learned how to leverage AI in marketing and got a clear understanding of how these tools will shape the future of work. It also gave us a network connection at IBM and insight into what recruiters at large corporations are looking for.  

A: How was your experience interning at Zimmerman Advertising before interning with IBM?

KS: In the summer of 2023, I interned at Zimmerman Advertising in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I was part of a team that created ads for five different brands at once, which was a lot of fun and gave me great insight into how a fast-paced, multi-brand strategy works. It really helped me understand how an in-house advertising agency operates and sharpened my skills for the work I later did at IBM.  

A: How did your experience at Zimmerman compare to your time at IBM? 

KS: Zimmerman gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how a traditional advertising agency functions, while IBM provided a more holistic experience in brand marketing, working with both in-house and external agencies. At IBM, I was able to see how a global company crafts its brand identity on a larger scale. This combination of experiences has been incredibly valuable in shaping my career.  

A: How has your experience on Arrowhead and your internships shaped your approach to teamwork?  

KS: Both Arrowhead and my internships have taught me a lot about leadership and collaboration. As a team captain, I’ve learned how to guide a passionate group while making sure everyone has creative freedom. At IBM, working with a mix of in-house and external teams gave me a broader understanding of how to balance different perspectives and work together to meet the brand’s goals. It’s all about making sure everyone is aligned and excited about the work!  

A: What was your role on Arrowhead last year?  

KS: Last year, I served as the Director of Events and Public Relations, where I worked on the creative side of things, especially with organizing events for our Tide campaign. In the fall, I was also on the nontraditional research team which I loved. Our team had a lot of creative freedom to design plans that filled in gaps in our research by observing shopping behaviors and habits. It was cool to come up with nontraditional research tests and to have the ability to try almost anything.  

A: What does it mean to you to be a team co-captain of Arrowhead?  

KS: Taking on this leadership role has been such an exciting opportunity because I get to lead a group of passionate and driven people. It’s inspiring and refreshing to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who are just as eager to create great work. I’m excited to put in the effort to help make our projects as successful as possible.

A: How long have you been in the advertising program at FSU?  

KS: I officially joined the advertising program in the fall of 2022 and it’s been an incredible journey ever since!  

 A: What has been the best experience you’ve had as an advertising major?  

KS: One of the best experiences was an advertising campaigns class I took with Dr. Kelly. In that class, we created real-life campaigns while working in teams, similar to Arrowhead, but with a twist — we got to pick whichever brand we wanted to work on. This gave us a ton of creative freedom and a real taste of what it’s like to collaborate on actual campaigns. The whole process of brainstorming ideas and seeing them come to life was so rewarding.  

A: What’s next for you after graduation?  

KS: I’m graduating in December, which feels surreal! After graduation, I’ll be joining IBM full-time, which I’m super excited about. I’ll be working as a brand marketing specialist, where I’ll continue to build on the work I did during my internship. It’s an amazing opportunity to further explore the intersection of technology and branding.  

Beyond that, I’m also looking forward to traveling and potentially continuing my volunteer work at music festivals. It’s an exciting new chapter, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me! 

 —

Alex Truex, event coordinator for FSU’s Ad Club and a junior in FSU’s advertising program, wrote this article for the team’s blog; edited by Carly Nelson, Arrowhead external communications manager.