Path to PR: BYU Communications Alum On the Impact of Internships

The Lord moves in mysterious ways. He utilizes all of our talents — even talents we may not know we have — to bless our lives and the lives of those around us. This describes my own experience of getting an internship with Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) and moving from that internship to a part time job.

My first interaction with MWEG was not through public relations, but through film. I worked as a freelance video editor for a project with MWEG. I was impressed by the organization, though my association ended there. A year later, I saw a post for a public relations internship with MWEG. Recalling my previous positive experience, I reached out, applied and got the internship.

I learned two key lessons from my internship and those experiences paved the way to a part-time job with MWEG post graduation.

First, I learned to be open to new experiences and opportunities. One of my first tasks at MWEG was to head its media relations and redesign its PR strategy. With just my coursework of theories and concepts to guide me, I dove in despite having no real world experience. I adapted, grew and asked a lot of questions, but I ultimately discovered that I loved media relations and strategy! What started out as an intimidating task became an enjoyable focus of my internship. I have since strived to embrace new opportunities with excitement instead of fear, particularly when learning new skills.

Second, I also learned to be transparent and candid in my work relationships. Being vulnerable, especially with supervisors and coworkers, can be difficult. However, I found that the more I was clear about my life and its effect on my work, the more willing my supervisors were to help me. I developed meaningful relationships at my internship, which empowered me to do my best and receive the support I needed to succeed.

Through my internship, I became more willing to try new things and be more proactive in all that I do. I’ve strived to not just be vulnerable when needed but to be someone others feel comfortable being vulnerable around. I’ve become a better employee, person and mother because of my experiences. When my internship concluded, the relationships I’d made and the work I’d done spoke for themselves. I was offered a part-time job and have remained working for MWEG to this day. I’m so grateful for what I learned and what I continue to learn as I further my growth and development as a public relations specialist, mother of two boys and disciple of Jesus Christ.