I completed my internship with St. Luke’s Community Relations Department from May-August 1996 (it was the summer prior to my Senior year). I got a variety of experience in writing (from news releases to brochures to newsletters, etc) and other PR-related duties. I also helped on St. Luke’s largest fundraising event—Children’s Miracle Network television special on KTIV. When the CMN Coordinator position opened up in 1998 St. Luke’s remembered me from my internship and called me for the job.
My second internship as Student Director of BC Cares helped secure that job because I was dealing with volunteers and service projects.
The third internship I completed during my senior year was in the PR/Marketing of Dakota Dunes Development Company. Interesting to see how much the Dunes has developed since I was there.
One advantage of internships is they give you professional references. For me, my internships allowed me to make networking contacts in the community—many of who I work with today in my job. Through internships I was able to start relationship-building earlier. Even if you don’t plan on living and working in Siouxland, your internship advisors could possibly make connections for you in other cities.
Internships allow you to apply the technical skills you learn in BCU’s classroom to a real-life working environment. That experience is invaluable. I found that by completing a few different internships, it allowed me to see different companies and how they work…I could narrow down the field and type of business I wanted to work for.
Please see The Department of Mass Media Handbook for more information on internships .
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