In October of my freshman year at Ohio State, I was hired as a communications intern for Franklin County Auditor, Michael Stinziano. In December, I was promoted to a paid communications fellow position for the remainder of my freshman year. I wrote press releases and constituent correspondence, handled the social media accounts, contacted local businesses and organizations to organize events, and reformatted training presentations.
This was my first legitimate communications position and it really contributed to my growth as a communicator. I had to transfer my skills from the classroom to create real-world government communications. My supervisors gave me detailed feedback that helped me develop my skills with each project. I was also given flexibility to be creative and develop new and engaging media to reach a broader audience. This position was one of the highlights of my freshman year and I can see how much my time there benefited my communication skills.
I was a member of the John Glenn Civic Leadership Community for my first year. The community really helped me get to know the John Glenn College and the students and faculty in it. At the beginning of the semester we took a tour of John Glenn’s childhood home and learned more about the namesake of our college. We also heard from several faculty guest speakers who gave lectures on different policy topics, such as food and space. I also had a community of about 20 others who were interested in public policy and it was great to start college with this community. Participating in the community definitely made me feel more connected to the Glenn College and deepen my interest in public affairs. Unfortunately the spring trip to Washington DC had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.