Internship Spotlight: Patrick Cressler ’25, Warner Bros. Discovery

Internship: Global Streaming Program Delivery & Management, Warner Bros. Discovery, Culver City, California
Hometown: Military kid
Pronouns: he/him/his
The SOM classes you’re using on the job: Competitor, Modeling Managerial Decisions, Managing Groups and Teams
Go-to work lunch: Tacos from Loqui 
After-work routine: Going to the gym and exploring LA with my wife, Sulli!
Favorite thing about Los Angeles: As a movie buff, I love the rich history of Hollywood in Los Angeles, and there are so many great museums to explore. One of my favorites is the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. There are also so many activities to do outdoors, and you can’t beat the weather.

Streaming is the future of entertainment, but the details of that future are still highly uncertain—and for that very reason, now is one of the most exciting times in recent history to enter the industry. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern within Warner Bros. Discovery’s global streaming and digital business while the company made major strategic moves to ensure its streaming platform, Max, is “the one to watch.” Max combines over 100 years of Warner Bros. history with culture-defining original programming, including content from prominent brands like HBO and DC Studios, and cutting-edge innovations such as live news and sports hosted on the platform.

With a passion for storytelling, an interest in tech disruption, and a strong belief in entertainment’s potential to shape society, I have always aspired to a career in the world of streaming, film, and TV. When I arrived at Yale SOM, I knew the recruiting process for entertainment would be less structured, so I immediately joined the school’s small but mighty Media, Entertainment & Sports Association and started networking with alumni in the field. Yale has a strong track record in Hollywood, and I was able to connect with business school alums at all the major studios and streamers, including Warner Bros. Discovery. These informal chats, as well as the club’s events throughout the school year, were invaluable in understanding the nuances of the current media landscape and refining my internship search.

During Warner Bros. Discovery’s recruitment process, which included an in-person MBA trek at its Burbank studio lot, I was struck by the company’s culture, forward-looking vision, and level of investment in early-career talent. My internship more than lived up to that first impression. I was part of a team responsible for ensuring the delivery and execution of high-priority initiatives, such as launches of new product offerings or platform features and expansions to new markets or customer segments. Over the course of the internship, I supported a diverse range of projects, some execution-oriented and others more strategic and open-ended. Given the cross-functional nature and critical importance of these projects, I also gained direct exposure to executives across the organization.

Because the role required me to think critically about the consumer and business impact of key decisions, streamline workstreams and problem-solve with interdisciplinary teams, and identify and communicate risks to senior leaders, I was able to leverage lessons from first-year SOM core classes in decision framing, relationship management, and stakeholder communication. I also continued to rely on the Yale network, finding more alumni at the company who were eager to connect and talk about their experiences.

Entertainment is a challenging industry that is never short of twists and turns. In fact, the most common piece of advice I heard while networking was this: if I had an interest in any other field, I should consider pursuing that instead of entertainment. However, that is exactly what makes the industry so special—those working in it are so passionate they truly cannot imagine doing anything else, and they are invigorated by the changes and challenges the future holds.

I experienced that passion at Warner Bros. Discovery, and I could not have asked for a better internship experience. Not only did I gain hands-on experience in streaming and work on projects that impacted the business, but I also made long-lasting connections with amazing people who will continue to shape the industry going forward. In the coming school year, I am excited to lead the Media, Entertainment & Sports Association on campus, and I encourage the incoming SOM class to not shy away from their passions—entertainment or otherwise—in the internship search.