When I look back at the goals I set for myself early on this semester as the Canisius College Communication Department Intern, there were many things I was able to accomplish and much more I discovered about myself in the process. Perhaps one of the greatest achievements during my internship has been assisting the Communication Department in solidifying their presence on campus and setting a new precedent on how the department promotes itself to current or prospective students. The Communication Department truly is a family that looks out for one another in undergrad and beyond, and it was my ultimate goal to showcase that through exciting events and attention-grabbing media content.

Not only did I get the wonderful opportunity to connect with our alumni and students by putting on the first ever Communication Department HomeCOMing event, but I collaborated with several members of the department to design and plan out content for Open House, Lyons Hall’s communication wing, Accepted Students Day, and even a prospective student mailing! Throughout this process, I have worked with both our faculty and students to gather their input on my content making process and was a part of an incredible organizational atmosphere that has boosted my confidence about pursuing a career in Communications.  

Moving forward towards my final semester at Canisius and graduate school in the Fall ‘22, I can confidently say that my experience with the internship seminar program has prepared me for the workplace world, teaching me how to be an active and supportive member of a team through both my work ethic and positive presence in the office. This experience has shown me the importance of doing what you love and putting that into creating quality work. While there are times when work can be stressful and there are many things to do, having a strong passion for the job you are doing is such a great tool to use during temporary moments of conflict. This internship taught me to be more assertive when making decisions, innovative when addressing problems, and creative when coming up with new ways to engage our students. By working on these skills throughout the duration of my internship, I not only found myself enjoying the work I was doing, but I was constantly learning new things on the job and in the seminar that will set me apart as a job candidate in the future! 

I would like to thank Dr. Irwin for an amazing internship seminar and her valuable  insight on taking the next big steps towards my career, Dr. Wanzer for being an incredible mentor and supervisor, G.A. Katie McMahon for her unending support and friendship, and the entire Communication Department and Seminar class for their guidance throughout the course of this semester! I am grateful to have been given this opportunity to sharpen my job skills in this field and the chance to work for such a wonderful organization.