UF alumna gives back through internship program for current business students
Danielle Houghton and her work as Senior Project Program Manager at AT&T is not only the story of her Gator legacy, but the legacy of business students across the nation. This summer, Houghton designed this year’s AT&T B2B Sales Development Program Internship where she led 25 sales interns over eight weeks.
Houghton graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a minor in business administration in 2021. Her academic path combined public relations and business, providing an essential foundation for her role at AT&T.
“The Warrington College of Business helped me understand how strategic communication drives business outcomes and the CJC taught me how much weight communication strategies can carry in conducting business,” Houghton said. “UF gave me great opportunities to explore my own strengths and interests by being a part of different student organizations, as well as working on ‘real-world’ business scenarios that have set me up for success in my professional career.”
This past summer, she was given the opportunity to personalize and lead the AT&T Summer Internship Program. Her goal was to give the interns an authentic glimpse of sales while showcasing AT&T’s broader business landscape.
“UF was always buzzing with opportunities, and I wanted our internship to reflect that same energy,” Houghton said. “Just like students at UF could engage in various campus initiatives, I designed the program to offer multiple avenues for interns to connect with AT&T—from sales activities to leadership exposure and community involvement.”
Inspired by her own internship in communications for the UF Department of Neuroscience during her senior year, the AT&T program emphasized cold-calling, collaboration and mentorship. Her mentor, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience Jennifer Bizon, provided her the opportunity to practice the skills she uses daily at AT&T for the first time; this led Houghton to do the same for her interns.
In the program, the interns spent time with the B2B sales and NTX territory teams and the Learning & Development organization to get fully immersed in AT&T’s future-focused culture. They explored areas such as strategic projects, CRM tools, and customer meetings through development sessions and shadowing full-time sellers. The program blends professional development with real-world experience, allowing the interns to build confidence while preparing for a career in sales.
Belforte found that this program offered a healthy balance between foundational sales training and hands-on field experience. Throughout the program, he felt challenged in the fast-paced environment, allowing him to grow in his selling and collaboration skills.
Belforte shared that this internship taught him something new as both a professional and person every day.
“I learned how to conduct myself in a professional setting, how to network effectively and how to manage my time,” Belforte said. “Most of all, I became more confident with each day I spent in the office.”
“It was incredibly rewarding to mentor a fellow Gator!” Houghton said. “Being based in Dallas, I don’t often cross paths with UF alumni, so having Ethan in the group was a special moment.”
Beyond being a mentor and mentee, Houghton and Belforte were able to share stories from their time in Gainesville and bond over shared experiences.
“Leading this internship was deeply meaningful to me, especially as someone still early in my career,” Houghton said. “I saw myself in the interns I was guiding and felt a strong responsibility to inspire confidence and a strong work ethic. While I was there to teach, I also learned much from them—especially about the future of communication, leadership and engagement.”
Houghton hopes to leave a legacy of empowerment and authenticity for her interns. She wants to be remembered in the interns’ lives as an individual who believed in them and helped them grow.
