| |
Profile
of Jen Brown, Intern, Animal Rescue League, 12/04
By Brittany Colatrella
PPW Intern
 Jen
Brown is an English writing major who believes that “writing
is an art form that can impact a specific group of people or a society.”
Her strong interests in writing inspired Jen to enroll in the Public
& Professional writing program, where she would be able to fuse
her concentration in creative nonfiction with her growing desire
to write for the public.
Jen thinks that everyone should participate in the PPW program,
because “no matter what major or profession you want to pursue—writing,
business, communications, science, philosophy, etc.—every
employer seeks employees who have refined writing skills.”
Moreover, Jen believes that the PPW program has helped her improve
her interpersonal communication skills, which is another important
asset that employers look for in applicants.
Jen gained valuable insight before beginning her internship this
fall, by listening to what the past spring’s interns had to
say about their internships: “It is beneficial to hear from
students your own age, with whom you can relate.” However,
considering that Jen has never applied for an internship before,
Pam O’Brien’s help was vital to making the experience
easier and more straightforward. Pam helped Jen sort through the
different opportunities, reviewed her application materials, and
helped Jen establish contact with the intern supervisor at the Animal
Rescue League.
In the end, Jen chose an internship with the Animal Rescue League
(ARL) because, being an animal lover, she had already spent time
at ARL as a volunteer who helps socialize the animals. Jen saw an
internship as an opportunity to become more involved in the organization
but, most importantly, as a way for her writing to help animals
and support the Rescue League’s efforts towards their mission.
Furthermore, Jen’s internship at the ARL would give her experience
in a public relations field and open her eyes to the role that writing
plays in that field.
Throughout the semester, Jen has completed a variety of projects,
including writing press releases and public service announcements,
editing body copy for a number of different texts, writing thank
you letters, putting together informational packets, filing, sending
out letters, and so on. However, the most enjoyable aspect of Jen’s
internship really has nothing to do with writing: “Any time
I get to spend with the dogs is always my favorite time of the day.”
Part of Jen’s internship included taking pictures for the
Tribune Review’s weekly feature of shelter animals,
and this has inspired Jen to learn more about photography.
Jen expected her internship at the ARL to improve her writing skills
in the public relations field, but she expected to forget about
the work she did at her internship during the time she spent away
from the shelter; however, Jen got much more than she bargained
for. Jen learned more about workplace dynamics than she ever imagined,
and she will also be able to use the skills she gained at her internship
and “apply them to different classroom and social settings.”
Not long after beginning her internship at the Animal Rescue League,
the staff became like an unconventional family to Jen: “All
of the other employees were always looking out for my well being
and my advancement as a writer, a student, and co-worker.”
Jen tried to show her gratitude for this guidance by being a diligent
worker, and putting her full energy into completing the assignments
as best as she could: “I was basically trying to show them
that the more effort you put into something, the better it can turn
out in the end.”
Overall, Jen’s internship at the Animal Rescue League has
given her a new appreciation for the ways writing can support the
goals of a particular organization. Jen has also broadened her understanding
of and skill in writing to promote a specific cause. In the end,
Jen has learned a lot about writing, as well as about life in the
real world: “I have learned how to compromise, give and take,
edit, etc. I believe I have much more control of my writing skills,
as well as how to relate those skills with others.”
Jen thinks that internships are ideal experiences for students because
“the choices are up to you.” Students ultimately choose
where they work, and during which semesters they want to complete
an internship. It is also up to the students to decide what they
want to gain from the experience, and to ensure that they get that
experience by manipulating the internships to be as enjoyable and
beneficial as possible. Jen believes that as long as you “find
something you love, are interested in, or want to know more about—even
if it isn’t what you originally expected in the beginning—in
the end, it will always prove to be valuable in some way.” |
Up
Up |