- Graduation Year: May 2015
- Major: Advertising
- Minor: Public Relations Certificate
- Hometown: Bolingbrook,
- Hobbies: Scrapbooking
Campus Activities:
- American Advertising Federation
- Illini PRSSA
- College of Media: Mediapalooza
- College of Media: Media-U
- University of Illinois Athletic Bands: Marching Illini, Basketball Band and Volleyball Band
- University of Illinois Flippin’ Illini Club Gymnastics team
Internship |Drum Corps International |Photography Intern
Duties?
There were two parts to my internship: the office and being on the road. In the office, I was responsible for handling outside media relations and press credentials for all of our events. I also took on a summer long project of digitizing the photo archives to use in numerous publications for the 40th anniversary tour. On the road, I was responsible for photographing all of the individual competing corps and then after the shows/competitions I had to sort, edit and then publish these photos. In my second year, I started posting photos on the Live Twitter events, and then making larger photo galleries on Facebook for the fans to see and engage with.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
I loved my internship, obviously, or else I wouldn’t have gone back for a second year. I loved being treated like a full time staff member; this was not a coffee and paper sorting job. It was hands on and fast paced. Not only did I learn how to live in an office environment, but it gave event experience as well.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
The most difficult thing about my internship was learning that I was doing a good job. I was in a situation where I was being treated like an employee, not a student. In the real world, there aren’t large amounts of praise like in school, so it was hard for me to realize that I was doing what my boss wanted until I got to know him.
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
Illinois helped me prepare for the internship because I learned how to network. Every time I met someone new on the job I saw it as a networking opportunity, not just an introduction.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
This internship prepared me for the real world because I learned how to work efficiently on a publication deadline. Writing a paper in school and posting personal photos to Facebook is different that being on a deadline. Fans wanted to see things as soon as the corps were done competing, so it was a quick turn around in order to find the best photos and writing in order to publish that content. Now after two summers, I can say that I am confident in working on a deadline and being able to prioritize and work efficiently.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
Just go for it. Unlike applying for college, internship applications do not cost anything. So apply anywhere AND everywhere because you never know what your opportunities are until you get there. Big or small, take the experience and make it your own- plus you never know who you are going to meet who can help you later on down the road.
Internship |The North American International Livestock Exposition |Press Room Writer
Duties?
As a writer for the press room, I was tasked with researching, interviewing and writing both press releases and feature stories about the exposition.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
I loved being thrown into an internship that was fast paced and real. It was only a week long, so there was no time to “ease into” anything.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
The most difficult thing was writing in-depth articles about a subject that I didn’t grow up with. My audience was knowledgeable about the subject so the writing had to be complex enough to still inform them.
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
My public relations classes prepared me for the internship because they taught me how to write and format these press releases.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
The NAILE internship prepared me for my career because it focused on fast deadlines and gave me real world writing experience.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
Go for it. Even if the subject is new, try it. Internships are a time for learning and experiencing new things, so don’t be afraid to try something new.