Unforgettable First Experience
By Kara Anderson, 2007 Summer Intern
It’s almost time to kick it into gear for the job search and reflect on everything that has gone by way too fast. Since my internship with Fusion in the summer of 2007 (my first internship ever) I’ve ventured into a number of areas in the communications industry. My internship wasn’t just a summer at a PR firm, it was an experience I can definitely say launched my career and my interest in media.
Immediately upon returning to the University of South Carolina, I took on an internship with ECI-Find New Markets where I used a lot of what I learned the previous summer – those info sessions proved helpful! While working on PR campaigns, marketing and graphic design sparked my interest. Since then I guess you can say I’ve been all over the place, but in a good way. I’ve worked my creative genius designing Web sites, logos, brochures and writing content, but working on full-fledged branding campaigns has been the most rewarding.
Before long I had to make summer plans again and I knew I couldn’t resist another New York experience. A class trip to the city proved worthwhile; after interviewing at MediaVest Worldwide, I was to start as a digital media planning intern on the Walmart team two weeks later. I certainly got to see a different side of the industry that summer – I had never worked at an office that offered 20 different flavors of coffee drinks on every floor. On a more serious note, I don’t think I had ever put in to practice what I learned over three years of college more – I definitely felt like a professional. And I can’t go without mentioning the bonuses that came with the work – dining at the restaurant of an Iron Chef, my first visit to a shooting range and endless Crumbs cupcakes.
As much excitement as I’ve had, the east coast couldn’t keep me for too long. Within a few weeks I was off to attend the University of Hawai’i as an exchange student, which, needless to say, was the most thrilling time I’ve had in the past four years. However, it can’t compare to the city. I’m 100 percent sure I’ll be back for my first job – a lot of thanks to Fusion for providing me with an unforgettable first experience in New York.
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