OCS Final Reflection (Mellon)

As a recipient of the Mellon Foundation Humanities Internship Stipend, I was required to submit a final reflection of my internship experience. This reflection was also a component of my internship course, in which I received college credit towards my undergraduate major requirements.

Integrated Learning

            This semester, I had the pleasure of taking an introductory course in English Linguistics. Our final unit was on semantics and pragmatics, and as I simultaneously completed my internship and attended class, I became very aware of how often we considered the weight and meaning of our words in marketing. Each week, I would send drafts of Instagram posts and their captions to my supervisor for approval, and she would give feedback before I was allowed to publish. The feedback was typically regarding the ways I phrased the message to promote better mental health, with the goal being to approach every topic with sensitivity and positivity. Sometimes a word would be substituted for one of a more succinct meaning, or a sentence would be rephrased or added to alter the intention of the message, perhaps to a call-to-action (e.g. encouraging students to visit our website or to make an appointment with a counselor). It amazed me how even the smallest details could make such a difference in how a message was received.

            I also discussed what I learned from my Writing in the Disciplines course in my midterm reflection, and by the end of this internship, my main takeaway has been learning to write for my audience. I had to write for three audiences: 1) my supervisors, 2) the student body, and 3) myself. Each of these have different perspectives and expectations, and I quickly learned that I might not be able to reconcile all three at once; instead, one would take priority over the other two. In this case, it was my supervisors who I wrote for – without their approval, I couldn’t have published my work, and then there would be no audience at all. I realized the reality of writing for your client is accepting that due to external pressures – for instance, branding – your work may be changed dramatically, to the point you no longer recognize it by the end-product. The election self-care handout was the project that hammered this home for me. After receiving feedback from University Communications, the handout looked so different from what I’d initially drafted, and though I wasn’t really happy with the end result, I don’t have the authority to change graphic design elements of font or color scheme. Regardless, I consider myself fortunate to have had the experience of assisting the Office of Counseling Services, and I found gratification and creative freedom in other aspects of my work.

Professional Communication

            My time as the Communication & Marketing Intern of the Office of Counseling Services was exciting in that I am the first in my position, and thus, I am responsible for building out the role. This proved challenging, but in my final couple of weeks, I was tasked with producing an onboarding document for the next intern, and I found myself writing several pages including contacts, resources, and standards of procedure. Though I had little to work with in the beginning, I took initiative in many areas, like seeking out contacts in other departments, and even going so far as to walk to other buildings to find someone to speak to. The most significant lesson I learned was to not be afraid to reach out and follow up. Cold calling might seem daunting at first, but you can’t achieve results without persistence.

            A humanities education allowed me a unique perspective in digital marketing. My creative skills allowed me to develop a promotional campaign with the message of promoting better mental health. This was done through content marketing, crafting infographics, reels, a video, and other edutainment media for the purpose of establishing the office as the primary source for mental health care on campus. By getting the word out on social media that our office provides these services, we could encourage more students to visit and make use of said services. I learned about content marketing while conducting research for my investigative report on digital marketing for my Writing in the Disciplines course, and I came to the conclusion that this was the best way for me to make an impact on the student body (while working within the constraints of our budget and means).

Career Exploration

            During the first few weeks of my internship, I received a personalized card from the Director of the department I worked under, ODU’s Student Enrollment, Engagement, and Services (SEES). The card was to thank me for my work, and to welcome me to SEES, with the Director noting that I could reach out to her with any questions or concerns. For my Writing in the Disciplines course, I was required to conduct an interview with a professional in the field of my study, and so I reached out to the Director to ask if she had any contacts in digital marketing. She was very kind and helpful, connecting me with the Executive Director of Enrollment Marketing, with whom I had a very productive conversation. These networking opportunities are important for me to reference in my future work with other organizations, as I was able to learn much from my interview with the Executive Director. I hope that one day when I am a more established professional, I can reach out to her again to discuss our work and how the field is evolving.

            The next step for me professionally is to find my place in an organization whose values align with my own. While I believe my skills in writing and marketing can be useful most anywhere, I would like to apply what I’ve learned towards something meaningful. My mission has always been to uplift and support marginalized communities, and to advocate for human rights. Therefore, I think I’d be an asset to a human rights or health care organization, supporting them by promoting their work or services.

Final Thoughts

            The most rewarding aspect of this internship was getting to apply what I’ve learned in a real world setting. While I know I am capable and skilled at what I do, it was a delight getting to publish my work and have it be appreciated by someone other than a teacher or grader. It was also gratifying to aid in providing mental health care for students, as it felt like I was making a difference in supporting my local community of fellow students. This is the sentiment I wish to maintain throughout the rest of my career – to help others.

            I think the best thing now to prepare me for the workforce is to continue finding opportunities to work in real world settings. While I think there is always more to learn from books and research, I think the best way to improve at a skill or job is to just do it, and do it often. Practice makes perfect. This is why I’m looking forward to my next internship with the Tidewater Queer History Project; I’m thrilled to be a part of documenting local queer history, and I’ll be doing similar work in marketing and communication. I admit I am a bit sentimental about ending my time with Counseling Services, and I will miss working with the people there. However, the future is bright, and I cannot wait to see what it has in store for me.