From our intern Allie Smith on the last day of her internship:
When reflecting on what I learned at Himmelrich PR, it is easy to talk about the tasks I completed. I learned how to write a press release, compile media clips and conduct research. I participated in meetings and posted event listings. These were the things that I expected to do based on the job description, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn and practice these skills in an agency setting. However, I think the true value of my public relations internship was less about the tasks I completed, and more about the environment I was immersed in.
In school you’re taught how to write press materials, but they do not teach you how to answer the phone professionally, how to find the restaurant to pick up lunch for a client meeting when your GPS is broken, or how to take initiative in the workplace. I have given presentations about theories of mass communication before, but I had never been part of a discussion that leads to real decisions about how to promote a client.
The most valuable thing I learned at Himmelrich PR was that I chose the right major. I chose mass communications because I love media, but it is difficult to know whether you are on the right career path without any experience outside of the classroom. On my first day at the office, I was excited to see that my desk was covered with stacks of local newspapers and magazines. When I went behind my desk and discovered even more stacks on the floor, I knew this was the kind of environment that I wanted to work in. As I approach the end of both this internship and my undergraduate studies, I know that my time at Himmelrich PR has prepared me for my future career by providing me with both the experience and the desire to work as a public relations professional.