Southwest Airlines
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From January to April 2025, I was the External Communications & Public Relations Intern at Southwest Airlines. Alongside my intern responsibilities in content creation and communications, I got to see firsthand how Southwest managed crisis communications and worked to ensure our brand and story stayed grounded.
Crisis Communication & Real-Time Brand Monitoring
Crisis Communication & Real-Time Brand Monitoring
During my internship, I gained firsthand insight into how a Fortune 500 company navigates both industry-wide crises and internal transformation. Through attending cross-team meetings with PR, social, and crisis teams, as well as taking the initiative in asking questions and setting up one-on-ones, I learned about the pressure, empathy, and precision required to manage a brand's voice during high-stakes moments.
I was also tasked with staying up to date on key developments within the aviation industry. Every Monday, I compiled articles and provided concise summaries of significant news, including company updates, competitor activities, and external events that could impact Southwest. This responsibility not only kept me informed on the latest trends but also helped me anticipate potential challenges, particularly in crisis communications.
Just four days into my internship, I flew with a small cross-functional team on a Southwest humanitarian flight relocating shelter animals impacted by the California wildfires. I captured content from the unique lens of an intern, spotlighting the people-powered effort behind this mission.
Ahead of Puppy Bowl XXI and the Big Game weekend, Southwest teamed up with Animal Planet to host a surprise “Pup Rally” at MSY Airport in New Orleans, complete with trivia, giveaways, and a group of foster puppies (including a Puppy Bowl star!). It was a joyful way to show up in the Super Bowl conversation and spark organic social moments with our Customers. I wrote the blog story and helped shape content that captured how this lighthearted activation brought our customers and airport employees together, Southwest-style.
For National Board Game Day, I worked closely with my manager to help lead the communications plan for Southwest’s partnership with The Op Games, promoting their new game “10 Days in the USA.” As the sole content creator for this Surprise and Delight Flight, I wrote the blog recap, filmed and edited two videos, and played a key role in shaping the content strategy for the event. This was my first time fully owning content creation for an event, in contrast to previous events where I supported the social team.
Op Games SWA Stories .mp4AAPI Heritage Month Social Content BLOG LINK - SWA Stories
AAPI Heritage Month Social Content BLOG LINK - SWA Stories
AAPI Month.mp4For AAPI Heritage Month, I worked with my fellow intern Nhi Pham, to plan and develop a blog and itinerary that highlighted AAPI businesses and cultural spots. We reached out to local businesses to establish relationships and ensure the content authentically represented the community. What made this project unique was our approach to creating a narrative that was engaging, travel-friendly, and culturally significant, something the team had struggled with in the past when diversity posts saw low engagement. While the blog was a team effort, I took the lead on creating two short-form videos. This project was particularly significant to me because it allowed me to advocate for South Asian representation in a traditionally East Asian focused month. It was my first time truly leaning into bringing diverse narratives to mainstream media and a huge milestone for my long-term career goal of increasing South Asian visibility in media.
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