Corona, CA: Monster Energy Announces Expanded 'Final 8' Contestants in Nationwide Search for 'Ultimate Intern'

Eight talented and ambitious young adults received a welcome phone call notifying them as one of the Final 8 contestants in the Monster Energy Ultimate Intern Search. Fueled by nearly 2,000 video entries for the nation's most extensive online intern search contest ever, Monster Energy unleashes the Final 8 contestants in a week-long series of challenges to compete for two newly-created positions-of-a-lifetime.

Announced today by Sam Pontrelli, senior vice president of marketing for Monster Energy, the finalists will travel to the company's Corona, CA headquarters for "challenge" events beginning June 18, 2012. Final winners will be announced on June 22, 2012, with two interns carrying out their duties from June 25 through August 24, 2012.

"Final 8" Monster Energy Ultimate Intern Search Contestants

From sky diving, motocross, skateboarding and snowboarding, to entrepreneurs, marketing, business and graphics majors, following are the Final 8 contestants:

-- Blake Anderson, 21, from Glenmoore, Pa., is graduating from James Madison University with a degree in Digital, Video & Cinema and Sports Communication;

-- Laura Golly, 20, from Naples, Fla., is currently studying Advertising at Florida State University;

-- Tatiana Gonzalez, 21, is a student at University of Texas at Austin (her hometown) studying Marketing, Communications & Business;

-- Alex Gjavenis, 23, from Apple Valley, Minn. is a recent graduate from University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Communications & Digital Media;

-- Alexa Harshman, 22, born and raised in Phoenix, Ariz., is currently studying Business Management while also working in Business Development at a well-known IT company; and as a part-time promotional model;

-- Steven Fruh, 22, from Riverside, Calif. holds a college degree in Graphic Design and Marketing, and has past interned for the United States Secret Service;

-- Jenny Lym, 18, from Salt Lake City, Utah is an active volunteer in her community;

-- Keith Born, 21, originally from Torrance, Calif., is a senior at LaSierra University studying Business Marketing & Management.

Preceding the announcement, Pontrelli stated: "With such an overwhelming response to this first-of-its-kind contest, we decided to expand the challenge from a Final 6 to a Final 8 group of candidates, as they all truly unleashed their 'inner' Monster and rose to the 1st round challenge."

The Final 8 - June 18-22

The Final 8 will enjoy a week-long series of events at Monster Energy's Corona, Calif. headquarters. The experience will take place throughout Southern California featuring Monster-sponsored athletes like Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, Jason Britton, Deebo and Rob Dyrdek. Friday June 22, the final day of the competition, will be hosted by Monster Energy personality Rob Dyrdek at the "Fantasy Factory" in downtown Los Angeles. Dyrdek will emcee, judge and announce the winners immediately following.

The Ultimate Internship -- the Job

Winners of the Monster Energy Ultimate Intern Search will rotate in various positions at Monster Energy, including participation in the X-Games 18, the Vans Warped Tour 2012, and the Street League DC Pro Tour Fueled by Monster Energy. They will often be working with professional athletes and entertainers who are sponsored by Monster Energy, and other company representatives and partners. Winners will be exposed to various parts of the business and responsible for creating and posting social media content about their experiences, provide unique insights about current customers, emerging customer segments, consumer trends, and other information relative to pop-culture. The two-month internships will begin on June 25, 2012 and end on August 24, 2012. Sponsors include Skullcandy, DC, Team Losi Racing and Horizon Hobbies.