Emma Clark never imagined her background would be ideal for a construction company. But her passion for creativity and storytelling made her a perfect fit for The Korte Company’s marketing team.
Here, she honed new skills and gain confidence, which helped her get a new internship — a dream opportunity at Hallmark.
Emma is a journalism student with an emphasis in strategic communication at the University of Missouri. While many of her friends growing up in Maryville, Illinois, liked sports, Emma was always more theatrical.
“I tried sports, but I quickly realized the dugout was more my style,” she said with a laugh. “I was everyone’s hype man, cheering people on. Eventually, I found my place in acting and band. That’s where I really came to life.”
From the stage to marketing
By age 10, she was starring in community theater productions — Little Red Riding Hood in The Big Bad Musical, Flounder in The Little Mermaid and the lead role in Annie.
“I loved every part of it — the rehearsals, the performances, the creative expression. That’s still where my passion lies.”
But Emma didn’t know how to apply her passions in the career field. She started college unsure of her path. Fortunately, she found her way in strategic communication.
“I loved that I wasn’t just memorizing terms — I was creating. Whether it was writing a profile or designing a logo, I was building something of my own,” she said. “That’s when I knew I’d found my major.”
While she’d found her path, Emma didn’t plan to land an internship as early as her sophomore year. Then her mom sent her a link to a marketing position at The Korte Company.
“At first, I didn’t think I was qualified. But then I read a blog post from a past intern who talked about getting to be creative, and I thought, ‘That’s exactly why I chose strat comm.’”
She drove home from Columbia, Missouri, to interview in person. A few weeks later, she was The Korte Company’s newest marketing intern.
Jumping into the work pool
From her first day, Emma jumped into real projects, embracing every challenge and learning opportunity.
Emma worked closely with Chief Marketing Officer Todd Imming and quickly earned his trust. She helped manage the company’s social media accounts, created reels and graphics, edited photos and wrote intern profiles. She even visited job sites on her own to capture photo and video content.
“I didn’t even know what a subcontractor was,” she said. “But I told them I was a quick learner, and I meant it. I’d sit in Todd’s office, write down every step of a task, then go figure it out myself.”
Todd gave her space to grow, encouraging her to problem-solve while still being available when she needed direction.
“Todd was super busy, so I learned to make my own list, plan my day, and find ways to contribute,” she said. “That trust and guidance allowed me to grow far beyond the typical intern experience. I was trusted with high-impact projects and encouraged to bring my own perspective to our work. I came back to school with a renewed confidence in my major and a clearer vision for my future in marketing and strategic communication.”
And it didn’t stop there. Emma’s summer internship turned into a freelance position that lasted through the end of the year. She even helped produce the company’s “Year in Review” book for 2024.
“I remember flipping through it and seeing stories I wrote, photos I took,” she said. “It felt amazing to be part of something that big.”
Little did she know the big opportunities she still had in front of her.
When she was 16, Emma got her first job working at her local Hallmark store in Edwardsville, Illinois. She liked it so much that she stayed all the way until her internship with The Korte Company.
Things came full circle when she reconnected with an alumna from her sorority at a career fair. That conversation led to a new opportunity that felt incredibly personal. After a two-round interview process, Hallmark selected Emma for a social media marketing internship at the corporate office in Kansas City. She is one of only three selected out of more than 500 applicants.
“The thought of applying the skills I gained at Korte to another company I’ve always admired was so exciting,” she said. “I was genuinely surprised and beyond grateful. The skills I developed at Korte — independence, confidence, creativity and the courage to try something totally out of my comfort zone — are what prepared me most for this next chapter.”
Moving on to the next challenge
This summer, Emma will move to Kansas City to work on Hallmark’s social media team, managing platforms and creating content for a brand she grew up loving. Although she won’t return to The Korte Company this summer, Emma said her time there was transformative.
“I truly feel indebted to Todd Imming and The Korte Company for all they’ve done for me. They took a chance on me and gave me the space to grow — far beyond what I expected from a summer internship,” she said. “I left with new skills, real confidence and great friendships. It’s the people that make Korte special. They made me feel like more than an intern. They made me feel like part of the team.”
