Diego Gonzales has been working in the promo industry since he was in high school – even if he may not have realized it at the time. As a member of his high school’s Key Club, Gonzales participated in a branded merch sale.

Diego Gonzales, who completed a summer internship at 1338Tryon (asi/287946), received the 2025 ASI internship scholarship.

Now a student at the University of Oregon, Gonzales has taken his interest in the industry a step further. This past summer, he participated in a summer internship with 1338Tryon (asi/287946), a women-owned brand consultancy based in Portland, OR. He also completed the ASI Summer Internship Program, which offers assistance and resources to promo businesses that hire a summer intern.

“The ASI internship was a great experience that helped me build important skills for the workplace,” Gonzales said. “This internship helped me to keep up in this fast-paced industry. Flexibility is key, and so is collaboration with your clients and your co-workers.”

Along with newfound industry skills and knowledge, Gonzales is ending his summer with a $1,000 check as the winner of the ASI scholarship, which is awarded to one intern each year. He plans to use the funds to cover a portion of his college tuition, which he says will allow him to focus less on financial matters and more on his studies.

At the conclusion of his internship, Gonzales put together a comprehensive analysis of the state of promo at large, citing data from Counselor’s 2025 State of the Industry report. He also discussed how Gen Z trends and values like work-life balance, connection and sustainability play into promotional marketing decisions.

Now in its ninth year,the ASI Summer Internship Program has trained 1,899 interns at 1,500 ASI member companies. The program is mutually beneficial to interns and the promo businesses they work with: Interns can offer a new perspective and can help businesses adapt to change. These experiences also introduce promo as a viable career option for young workers, which helps the industry attract new talent. Meanwhile, interns get hands-on experience that helps them gain confidence and real-world business skills.

Internship program participants receive free access to ESP for the summer. They also receive an invitation to attend ASI Show Chicago and a certificate of completion once they finish their internship. Interns have access to promo-specific webinars throughout the summer.