The Awny Intern Experience
When
I first started my internship at AWNY I felt like I was
living a dream. I had always wanted to live in New York and work but coming
from a small town in Alaska, it seemed impossible. I received a basketball
scholarship to attend the New York Institute of Technology two years ago
and when I got here I was in complete culture shock. Suddenly, I was surrounded
by millions of people and exposed to things I never thought I would see
in my wildest dreams. Last semester I decided to apply for a summer internship
in advertising and this is when I came to hear about AWNY. I was first introduced
to the organization when I met a member who worked at Better Homes &
Garden. She referred me to the organization and I pursued the opportunity
for the summer position, which I ended up getting. I officially started
my internship the beginning of June and was thrown into the fascinating
world of AWNY.
On my first day at the office, I quickly learned about the AWNY organization,
their 1300+members and the various events they planned each year. In no
time I was taking reservations, speaking comfortably on the phone to executive
members, using the database and answering countless questions everyday.
My biggest eye opener was when I attended the Installation Luncheon and
was able to experience firsthand what AWNY really did. I helped the events
manager prepare and set up for the event by making name badges, lists and
making sure everything was in order. I couldn’t believe how many people
attended and supported women in advertising. At the event I met AWNY members,
guests, and people in all areas of the advertising field. Little did I know
that I would soon get to know many of them on a first name basis.
In the weeks that followed, I was able to attend a wide variety of events
such as the Chelsea Piers Golf Clinic, a Panel Discussion on Digital Media,
a Golf Outing in Whippoorwill and the Women to Watch Luncheon. This luncheon
was by far the biggest event AWNY has ever seen with over 750 attendees!
I was in charge of helping to organize the event and meeting and greeting
everyone who attended. I also saw the process of planning and organizing
the events when I attended committee and membership meetings. My favorite
part was meeting with board members and discussing the advertising field
with them. Many of them were CEO’s, VP’s or Publisher’s
of their companies. These informal interviews helped me better understand
the industry and I gained an enormous amount of knowledge from these one-on-one
discussions.
Through my internship I have been exposed to so many new people, ideas and
an industry that was only real to me in textbooks. Before this summer I
had only a slight idea of the area of advertising I wanted to purse. Now
I have had the opportunity to visit offices, agencies, and meet all sorts
of interesting people. As a student going into my junior year I feel prepared
and confident about what I am studying. I am finally staring to understand
how everything comes together in the advertising world but have just hit
the tip of the iceberg.
This internship with AWNY has been one of the most exciting and best things
I have done for my education. Not many college students can say they spent
a summer attending corporate luncheons and networking with powerful women
in the advertising industry. It seems so many doors have been opened for
me and I never expected this experience to be so successful. I feel blessed
to have had the opportunity to further my education and to discover a group
that believes in helping women advance in the advertising field. I want
to thank the AWNY members for their gracious support and especially the
AWNY office for everything they have done to help me. This is truly an amazing
opportunity and organization.
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