CIIC Intern: A Day in the Life
Entering college during a global pandemic is not something that was on my radar – the thought of my freshman year, first semester learning entirely remote from my bedroom was one that never crossed my mind. Yet, the abundance of alone time I was afforded during nearly three semesters of online classes provided me a wonderful opportunity for reflection about my future career.
I began my college experience in an undergraduate business program, but by my second semester, I was unhappy in my courses and felt myself searching for other options. I missed writing, something I had loved my whole life but never made it a priority. In the second half of my sophomore year, I decided to change my major to English. With this switch, I began to explore career options that would allow me to communicate with those around me, express myself creatively, and throw myself into a fast-paced environment. When the opportunity for an internship at a PR Agency in my hometown presented itself, I jumped at the chance to test out this option – in a meaningful way.
At CIIC, I found that my decision to enter into this communication field was the right one – and opened up paths that I previously hadn’t even considered. No two days are the same, and I was given opportunities to explore every aspect of public relations. Each day, I scour the news for the latest information on our clients and industry trends. I’ve gotten familiar with using important industry tools and services that are used day in and day out by PR professionals. I’ve been entrusted to create social media calendars for the various accounts we manage, learning what consumers respond well to and what they don’t.
Most importantly, I had close and meaningful interactions with each member of the CIIC team. On my first day, I was asked what I wanted to learn and experiment with most in PR. The team knew how much I loved to write, and I was tasked with writing blog posts and press releases. Despite having no prior experience working in a PR setting, the team took the time to hop on calls and show me the ins and outs of building media lists and pulling circulation statistics. As the women of CIIC trusted me to help them with their projects, I realized that I love doing research, something I never expected.
During my time at CIIC, I gained valuable insight into what it means to work in the public relations field – and make a difference. Before CIIC, I had never worked in PR, let alone a professional setting of any kind. I have gained invaluable confidence that I am ready for a career in PR, largely thanks to the trust placed in me by the CIIC team. I cannot wait to further explore public relations in the future, and I cannot thank CIIC enough for an amazing first experience in the industry!
All the best,
Una James Major: English Year: Rising Junior (Class of ‘23)