My Summer in Publishing
Student reflection by Jeslyn Li (Mandarin target, C’26 W’26)
While there is never-ending hustle and bustle in Philadelphia during the school year, summer in the city is more peaceful yet no less exciting. With the support of the Huntsman summer funding, I was able to pursue a summer internship in Philadelphia, working at Hachette Book Group’s Running Press Imprint as a Marketing and Publicity Intern.
Reading has always been a huge part of my life, whether it was scouring the Scholastic catalogs for my next book haul in lower school or improving my literacy in Chinese one (short) story at a time in high school. This passion for reading translated into a love for writing and, ultimately, my decision to pursue a minor in Creative Writing alongside my Huntsman curriculum.
Upon entering Penn and Huntsman, I had a strong desire to explore. Last summer, I pursued a wealth management internship in Beijing, China, where I improved my business communication skills in Mandarin and immersed myself in the culture and corporate landscape. This summer, I felt compelled to explore the publishing industry, hoping to gain a better understanding of the process that puts books on my shelf. I was motivated to do so because I wanted to experience an industry that is rarely—if ever—discussed on Penn’s campus, and because a small part of me still holds on to my childhood dream of becoming a published author.
At Running Press, I worked with a small but mighty team of marketers and publicists, collaborating with editors, designers, and authors on how to maximize the success of forthcoming titles. From writing press releases to building media lists, I tackled many key tasks in the later stages of the publishing process. I was also given the opportunity to lead the 2024 Back to School campaign for Running Press Kids. In total, I spearheaded the process from ideating a theme that encompasses the titles published this season to curating the newsletter sent to over 35,000 subscribers.
Throughout the summer, I was able to learn about the other imprints and departments under Hachette through informational sessions and panels. For example, I heard from the publishing team for Rick Steves’ household guidebooks, which have surprisingly strong performances despite shifts toward digital tools like Google Maps and TripAdvisor. I also learned about Hachette Audio, a team that oversees the production of audiobooks, which is an increasingly popular segment in publishing. These experiences were just a few highlights of everything I was exposed to this summer.
Interning at Hachette, the third largest of the “Big Five” publishing houses in the world, is an experience I will forever cherish. As summer comes to an end, I return to campus with a more open mindset about what the future holds—maybe I’ll find my way back to publishing one day, perhaps as a marketer or publicist, or even as an editor or author. I also bring back a heightened appreciation for the city itself, as this summer gave me time to explore the various neighborhoods of Philadelphia while café-hopping—with a book in hand, of course.
