An Influential Internship
As a Public Relations student, I surprisingly had minimal exposure to advertising other than in my introductory marketing class. I had never interned for any PR or advertising agency in the past, so I was not exactly sure what I would be doing. However, I knew I wanted to gain experience in this profession to see if it was something I wanted to pursue as a career path in the future. I am thrilled to say that after interning at Williams Whittle for the summer, this internship experience has impacted me in more ways than one and has pointed me in the direction of where I want my future career to go.
Prior to my start, I wondered what “normal” daily work would be like for an intern. I expected to do “busy work” as most interns do. However, It is safe to say that I have gained far more experience than I could have ever imagined. Throughout my time at Williams Whittle, I always felt as though I was making a difference in the company with every project I was assigned. I particularly enjoyed doing background research for different projects. However, I was able to take part in a variety of assignments which exposed me to the various aspects of an advertising agency.
My favorite project was doing research on inclusive language for a specific client. I also wrote a blog post on the topic with some basics for beginner use of inclusive language. I am particularly passionate about this subject and think it is incredibly important for a workplace to take this type of information into account. I also took pride in the various communications audits I did for prospective clients. These were an important part of the early stages with a prospective client which made me feel as though I was a crucial part of the team. I enjoyed researching the different nonprofits and sharing information on them that could aid the team. With every project I participated in, I felt as though my work was a valuable part of the team and I was continually encouraged and motivated by them.
A large part of having a successful company is fostering a positive work environment. Working with the Williams Whittle team has been more than just a positive experience for me. I truly felt as though I was part of the team and was making a meaningful contribution. Additionally, I was encouraged by the team and given constructive feedback on my work which allowed me to feel as though I was an asset. I never felt uneasy about asking questions as someone was always willing to help me when I was uncertain. The work environment at Williams Whittle is what I appreciated most during my time as an intern and I cannot thank everyone enough for being so welcoming and supportive. My time at Williams Whittle has truly been a memorable experience and has been more than I could have ever imagined from an internship. I will take the valuable skills I gained this summer wherever my future endeavors lead and refer back on this experience anytime I need help.
Abby is a senior at American University majoring in Public Relations, Advertising and Applied Communication.
