I have been offered and accepted an internship in Washington, DC for the summer of 2010. It will probably be one of the most exciting, scary, trying, thrilling experiences I have ever had the chance to have but I am ready to jump in, head first, and get started. I will be working for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in their Office of Public and International Relations. Most of my internship will be focused on the International Side but I should get a taste of both. I am very excited for this chance for many reasons, some of which are:
1)
Southern Virginia University does not have a specific "Public Relations" program. While we are offered many courses that teach us about different aspects that have to do with Public Relations, there is no real set course in all the things I need to learn about this field. This internship will give me the great opportunity of learning by being immersed in the field and to be working with people who know their stuff.
2) A large part of my internship is planning an event that will be held in September. Through Management Society I have learned much about the planning and execution of events but this will allow me to learn more about it through actually doing it. This is a field I really have an interest in and cant wait to learn more about.
3) I will be living near Washington, DC. I cant live in the city or too close because of the cost but have found a friend whose family has been really awesome and offered me a space to live in their home for the summer saving me rent (which, because this is an unpaid internship, is a big help)
4) I will be working for
The Church... My Church! How great is that? I really don't think I need to explain that one much more but I am super grateful for the chance to do that.
5) Did I mention that this is MY CITY? I made my first trip to Washington, DC with John and Becky in the beginning of June 2009. John and I had just seen "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian" and I mentioned how cool DC looked and how it looked like it would be fun to see... He was shocked that I had never been and we began making plans immediately for a trip so I could explore. I fell in love. Fall Semester I made it a point to get there at least once a month. These trips were mainly so we could get to
The Temple but it was also so we could explore. I learned how to navigate the metro, I found new art galleries (
This is my favorite one), found new places to eat (
COSI!)... and each time I returned with sore feet but even more excitement for my next trip. It has been about 4 months since I have been on a trip like this and I am anxious to return.
6) Not related to the internship itself but...
I began thinking that I would be pretty alone up in that area, as far as people I know being up there already, but have found how wrong I was. My friend Megan and her husband will be up there while he is selling Pest Control, My friend Jenna recently got a job that will allow her to teach and get her masters at the same time (so excited for her), another friend, Bree, moved up there after graduation (I lived with Bree for Maymester after my freshman year so it has been some time since I have seen her), and this super great person,
Mel, will be up there as well (Mel worked for the cafe I work for now before I got there and if you havent checked out her music... do it)
Basically - The Lord is very good to me, and knows me so well. Knows me well enough to have put so many people in my path that have helped me get this internship, and friends who will be there over the summer helping me to have some extra support. Im excited for this chance and hope youll follow me over
My Summer in Washington
