Reflections of a Creative Summer Internship

Reflections of a Creative Summer Internship

It was the first day of my early morning Advertisement and Public Relations Research class, and I was trying not to doze off as my professor talked about topics we would be covering. As soon as she began to toss around phrases like “qualitative measures” and “focus groups,” however, I began to perk up. I knew these words. I knew them well. It was at that moment that I realized how much I had learned and been exposed to during my summer internship at BC/DC Ideas.

As the official end of summer approaches, I am excited to finally reflect further on how far I have come since May. Before this experience I had never written a blog post, used a media list or created ad copy. Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect going into the internship. I can still remember the excited, but nervous, anticipation I felt before my first meeting with the BC/DC Ideas team.

After editing dozens of blogs and documents, wracking my brain for endless creative ideas for digital ads and even executing my own content project this summer, I’m starting to get the hang of things. I now know what to look for when I edit documents, and can whip through them with ease. Public Relations lingo I didn’t even know existed before is now a regular part of my vocabulary. The most important aspect I learned about PR is that I can never finish learning about it. I feel like there’s always a new tactic or research project to discover out there!

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The project where I had the most fun was creating social media promotional posts for Raleigh Little Theatre’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. It was tough breaking out of the polite, detached tone in writing I had been using my whole life in school. Once I embraced being witty and funny, I had a blast making the posts! This project, and all of the others, allowed me to spread my wings as a writer, researcher and thinker. I can’t wait to continue growing as a student, and as a person.

The real world experience I have attained from this internship has been amazing. It is incredible to me that, just like in that morning in class, I can use what I learned this summer in school. Normally, it’s the other way around!

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I chose to continue working with BC/DC Ideas into my fall semester because there is so much more I want to be exposed. The team has been an excellent source of mentorship, and I love what they produce. Looks like they’re stuck with me for a while!

Until next time,

Ashita Gona

Ready to Discover a better Review Process?

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Kate Runy

CONTENT & MEDIA SPECIALIST

A passionate technical wizard, Kate thrives on managing online content, social media for communications, and development projects.  Kate is the workhorse of the team, pulling out amazing feats of content creation and management week in and week out. 

Prior to joining BC/DC Ideas, Kate coordinated website and social media content, communications, and advertising for Go Global NC and Alzheimer’s NC.

Things that make her happy: I love animals about as much as I love working for nonprofits.

Mishel Gomez Cespedes

CONTENT COORDINATOR

Mishel brings a passion for video storytelling and quippy social media content to the team.  At BC/DC Ideas, she is most likely editing video or scheduling the next moving social media post for our clients.

Her ear for storytelling is her greatest asset. Mishel has a unique ability to assemble content into a concise story that moves audiences to action.

A graduate of Wake Forest University she spent a semester in Spain and years serving her community through the campus organizations. Now, she is putting her passion for good to work.

Brian Crawford

creative director

Mix equal parts nerd and creativity and that’s Brian. A natural problem-solver, Brian’s ability to cut to the core of any problem helps guide our creative team to the correct solution without wasted time or money. It’s the core, this little nugget of truth, that helps our clients take the next step with their audiences.

Brian gets the greatest joy out of helping our clients realize and connect with their story. He is a true believer that everyone and every organization has a compelling story to tell, you just have to listen with an open heart.

Things that make him happy: Hanging out at the park with family, toddler-speak, hitting the focus pull, and good coffee.

Dawn Crawford

principal

The engine behind BC/DC Ideas, Dawn has dedicated her career to good. Dawn brings her considerable experience and expertise to helping elevate the nonprofit sector. Our team’s lead strategist, Dawn is often seen leading our IdeaStorms, penning communications plans, or checking in with clients.

Before launching BC/DC Ideas in 2010, she earned her chops in 10+ years of communications leadership roles for public health, healthcare and youth-focused nonprofits. Working for nonprofits is Dawn’s dream job, and she loves that her 40+ hours a week make the world a better place.

Things that make her happy: A glass of champagne to celebrate big wins, Basecamp, living in the South, seeing the world, and a well-formatted spreadsheet.