Meet Gloria Sosa: Summer 2026 Develomark Cohort Spotlight

Gloria Sosa came into the Develomark Cohort thinking digital marketing mostly meant social media content. A few weeks into the Summer 2026 program, she is writing SEO-driven blog articles for a real Connecticut client, sitting in on client meetings, and learning how AI search is changing the way businesses get found online.

Gloria is from West Haven, Connecticut, and a rising senior at Providence College studying marketing. She joined the Develomark Cohort, our 12-week paid digital marketing internship in Connecticut, to gain hands-on experience beyond the classroom. You can also watch Gloria's full video update on YouTube.

From Social Media Content to SEO and AEO

"I never really thought that I would like doing digital marketing," Gloria admits. "I thought more about creating content on social media." That is a common starting point for marketing students, and it is exactly why the cohort pairs content creation with search strategy from week one.

The biggest shift for Gloria has been learning SEO and AEO at a professional level. "I just used ChatGPT, really — not advanced like we are learning here," she says. "Learning what AEO and SEO do for companies has been a huge step ahead."

What Is AEO, and Why Does It Matter?

AEO stands for answer engine optimization: structuring a business's content so AI tools like ChatGPT can find, understand, and cite it when people ask questions. SEO, or search engine optimization, helps that same content rank in traditional Google search. Cohort members learn both side by side, because that is how Connecticut businesses actually get discovered today.

Real Client Work: Writing the First Blogs for Nature's Harvest

Gloria's current project is Nature's Harvest, a Connecticut mulch and compost supplier. She is writing the first blog articles for their website — real published content, not classroom exercises — and she joined the client meeting to hear the company's goals firsthand.

"I've always done content for things like fencing, so learning about compost has been really cool," she says. "Making the first blogs for their website has been really cool." Two more client projects are already lined up next, including additional blog writing.

Learning How to Run a Client Meeting

Beyond the technical skills, Gloria points to something marketing classes rarely teach: how to handle a client meeting. "I've learned how to prep beforehand, learn about their company first, and then know what to do afterwards," she says. "And sometimes to just go with the flow — questions come automatically, so don't be too stressed about it."

Preparation, presence, and follow-up. The full cycle of client communication is built into every cohort project, so members like Gloria leave with skills they can use in any marketing role.

Want to see what the program looks like from the inside? Read our Summer Cohort program overview. And if you are a student in Connecticut ready to build a real marketing portfolio, apply to the Develomark Cohort today.