Internships Highlight the Value of Experience

Making copies, taking phone calls, delivering mail—these usual expectations play no part in the experience of most Principia College interns.

“We have a number of students having some great experiences this summer,” said professor George Cooke, adviser for nine of the ten current mass communication interns. “They are working everywhere from The Mother Church (TMC) in Boston to video production and graphics companies.”

Senior Jamie Eichar (pictured) opted to intern for Fig Media in Chicago, a small company that provides videographers, photographers, and deejays for events. “They’ve given me a full wedding to edit,” said Eichar, excited by the prospect of combining hours of video footage and hundreds of pictures into a polished final product. “I feel like I’m doing real work—not just making coffee.”

Principia senior Andie Raffles, an intern for the National Ice Center, an Olympic training facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been very satisfied with her experience as well. In addition to revamping templates and updating the Center’s website, Raffles was trusted with the task of redesigning their fall/winter brochure from cover to cover. “It was really cool to see the final proof,” Raffles shared. “They’re going to send it out to 1,000 homes!”

Among the many benefits of interning is the possibility of a job offer. This summer, Alex Strezev, who will graduate after completing his internship, was offered a job at Saddle Ranch Productions, a video company based in Beverly Hills. He gladly accepted.

Other locations for mass communication summer internships include JD Designs Group in Hollywood, Saint Louis television station KPLR, Connecticut radio station WEBE, and TMC Youth.

Cooke praised his department’s internship requirement, saying students are getting “real, working-world experience.” Linda Hannan, Principia’s internship coordinator, concurs, noting, “It’s the best way to bridge what you’re learning in school and what you think you want to do afterwards.”

Alumni and friends of Principia often play a key role helping students locate internships. If you’d like to get involved in the process, contact Hannan at linda.hannan@principia.edu.