After co-founding the cycling club on the Johnson campus, Zach Levy established a relationship with the owner of Untapped, a small business based in Richmond, Vermont, that produces maple syrup as a natural fuel to energize athletes. Zach originally saw the connection as sponsorship for his club but realized he admired the Untapped business model and asked the owner to take him on as a student intern.
Hands-on Learning
Zach learned about advertising, sales, and market research in his business classes but used his internship at Untapped to gain skills in search engine optimization, writing, and social media.
Now at Press Forward, a public relations firm in Middlebury, Vermont, Zach is responsible for a handful of accounts and all digital advertising for their clients. “It’s a very collaborative work environment, but I still get to own my projects,” said Zach.
One of the accounts he works on frequently is Untapped, the same company he was a marketing intern at. “That exposure to the industry as an intern was super valuable,” said Zach. “If I had just graduated with no experience it would’ve been hard to find a job.”
On top of Zach’s experience, his networking abilities have pressed his career forward too. Toward the end of his time at Untapped, Zach’s boss was launching Press Forward and asked Zach to join him for another paid internship opportunity. After graduation, Zach became the firm’s third full-time employee.
Campus Views that Inspire
As a student, Zach found time to enjoy life outside of the classroom and office. He represented Johnson around New England as a competitive cyclist and worked as a resident assistant.
Zach, who mainly came to the Johnson campus because of the stunning view of Sterling Ridge from campus, still finds time to cycle, hike, and enjoy Vermont. “I couldn’t do my job well without being able to integrate outdoor activities,” said Zach.
