Hi everyone! I’m Jade, this summer’s account executive intern at D&A! For National Intern Day, I’ve been asked to do a write-up on my internship experiences, both past and present, and share my perspective as a college intern.
During my time at Devaney & Associates, I have truly gained a deeper understanding of marketing and advertising and how such agencies operate on a day-to-day basis. With July 27 being National Intern Day (July, where did you go?), I have been reflecting on my past internship experience in between researching potential clients and email lists for the agency.
Past, Present, Future
In the past, I have interned at Johns Hopkins Hospital within their supply chain management department. During my time there, I sat in on meetings between medical contractors and hospital executives and provided data analytics for a catalogue of over 3,000 medical products. The experience placed me within unfamiliar territory, especially since I was a high school sophomore at the time, but it provided me with a head start on my career, training me for a level of professionalism that I still maintain today.
This summer, in addition to serving as Devaney & Associates’ account executive intern, I am also interning at the historic Merriweather Post Pavilion concert venue as a box office intern. Within the box office, I assist concertgoers with difficulties regarding their tickets, provide information on venue safety, and handle internal communications for venue staff. At Merriweather, I have especially enjoyed the concerts I attended due to my position, with Chaka Khan, Tears for Fears, Garbage, Jimmy Buffett, and The Black Keys being some of the artists I have seen perform over the summer. Between my two internships, my summer courses, and my music (I play 6 instruments!), I have had a hectic, but fulfilling, summer so far.
Looking towards the future, I feel that my internships, both past and present, have provided me with the experience to truly pursue what I want for my career. After finishing my internships and completing my B.A. at the University of Maryland, College Park, I see myself pursuing a career in the music industry within the public relations and marketing sectors. I have always seen myself working within the arts and entertainment field due to my background as a musician. Ideally, I would love to open my own music PR firm that specializes in assisting independent artists.
Not Just Getting Coffee & Making Copies
When I first arrived at D&A, I was unsure of what to expect. Even though I had interned within an office environment before, I was still quite nervous about how I would ‘fit in’ with the rest of the team. However, this quickly ended as I felt immediately welcomed by everyone, and this self-doubt began to melt away.
During my past internships, I have always been treated in a patronizing way due to my age and background, but I have had the opposite experience at D&A. I have been treated the same as everyone else on the team, and my age is never a factor in the projects that I’ve helped with. Being able to contribute to meetings, receive feedback on the projects that I do, and being able to attend professional networking events has made me feel like so much more than an intern. I am so happy to be a part of a team of strong and intelligent women, and I am extremely grateful for the experience that I have gained during these last few weeks.
