Moving Fast with Meta Collin Frazey ’23 spent his summer working for Meta's intellectual property team in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Collin Frazey ’23 at Meta headquarters“Through these experiences I’ve been able to get a ton of exposure to international policy and have gained a better appreciation for how different people work.”
~Collin Frazey ’23
Name: Collin Frazey ’23
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Major: Business Administration; French
Q: What factors led you to choose W&L?
I was drawn to W&L as I was interested in attending a liberal arts school, but still wanted a robust business program. I found this in the Williams School. The campus, history and Admitted Students’ Day sealed the deal.
Q: Why did you choose your course of study?
In my opinion, the business administration major provides the best opportunity to explore courses throughout the school while still maintaining a concentration. I’ve enjoyed taking extra courses like POV 101 & Philosophy of Education with President Dudley. I picked up a French minor as it’s a great way to explore new topics and keep up with the language. Professor Roney even offers a course called French for Business.
Q: How did you find out about your current summer opportunity? Did anyone at W&L help?
Honestly, I kind of decided one day last year that I was going to work for Meta this summer and worked hard to figure it out. Of course, that could not have been done without help from our awesome W&L alumni, who were key in helping me break into tech.
Q: Tell us about what you’re doing at Meta headquarters this summer.
When I’m not checking out the on-campus restaurants (my favorite is the barbeque shack), I’m working on the intellectual property team as we develop and refine new policies that underpin the Facebook and social economy. I spend a lot of my time in meetings with both the legal team and engineers who turn the policies into programs.
Q: What do you like most about it, and what has been most challenging so far?
Meta is unlike most other companies, which brings both benefits and challenges. I’m always learning as I get to test out the latest VR + social media updates and hear from Mark Zuckerberg when he addresses the company each week. It’s been challenging to adapt to the fast pace at which everyone works. “Move Fast” is truly part of the culture. Additionally, everyone here is from the best schools or coming from top firms, making it an intense but inspiring environment.
Frazey working outside on the Meta campus.Q: Tell us about previous summer experiences you’ve had at W&L.
My past two summers have both been at boutique international consulting firms, the first being a Dutch firm (based out of their Shanghai office) and the second was an Italian firm in Milan. Through these experiences, I’ve been able to get a ton of exposure to international policy and have gained a better appreciation for how different people work. Both these internships were virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which definitely helped prepare me for the hybrid work model here at Meta.
Q: How do you think your summer experiences will impact your future career path?
Right now, I’m interested in product management, which requires a lot of project planning and cross-functional communication. Working with international partners the last couple of years has been super helpful when I’m working with a wide variety of groups, e.g. software engineers and lawyers this summer, across multiple time zones. Working at Meta specifically has pushed me to pursue impactful work, probably in the tech industry.
Q: How has living in Silicon Valley been? What have you enjoyed most?
The show “Silicon Valley” on HBO got it spot on. It has been really cool to see people riding skateboards around the office and exciting to hear about the latest startups around town. I’ve especially enjoyed getting to check out all of Meta’s offices around the Bay area and the great work-life balance.
Q: What do you miss most about W&L when you’re away for the summer?
I miss living with my friends while I’m away for the summer and am looking forward to living off campus for senior year.
If you know any W&L students who would be great profile subjects, tell us about them! Nominate them for a web profile.
You must be logged in to post a comment.