Camping With The Bears

By Sam Mangieri III ‘11 - Advertising major

As most students said in their journal entries, I didn’t have a clue what to expect when I arrived at my internship at the Bears training camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois.  I like my comfort, and was quite content with coasting into my junior year at BU with the routine I was used to at home.  But, I find my biggest adventures, and best experiences, come precisely when I have jumped out of that comfort zone.  So when July 30th rolled around, I knew it was time to jump again.

I knew the Bears didn’t mess around when I underwent CPR training as soon as I arrived.  My internship, unlike most summer gigs was only 20 days in length.  What a short twenty days it was! I had an awesome time working alongside some great co-workers.  Our advertising and events staff consisted of about 30 people. Our boss, Matt Black, is a Bradley graduate.

He and the three other superiors have a hefty task of corralling us and the thousands of fans that pile into Olivet Nazarene University.  This is projected to be an awesome year for the Bears and their fans have shown their belief in the team.  About 6,000 fans pile in the gates each day.  One day we had more than 12,000 fans make the pilgrimage to the small town to see their team practice.

Each day of camp is about 4 hours in length and divided into two hour shifts for staff.  Each of us is assigned 2 different jobs each day.  I could be running one of the inflatable play-pens you see at county fairs the first shift and the next I could be doing something as sweet as working at an autograph session.  Other tasks include assisting with the family/sponsor tents, handing out giveaways, assisting the Bears’ mascot, Staley, around camp, and crowd control while players enter/leave practice.  Overall, it was a great time and I feel I left with some solid experience.

The interns are housed in the third floor of the building nearest the cafeteria (even closer than the players themselves).  Our rooms get room service every day, where they come with fresh towels and change our sheets. Three meals a day are provided in the same cafeteria where the players eat.  We don’t sit in the same area, but on any given day I could be standing behind Jay Cutler or Brian Urlacher at some point in the salad line.

If only I had a buck for every time one of my friends has asked, “So do you get to talk to the players?”   The answer is, “Only if they talk to you first.”  Unfortunately, the only time a player said anything to me was when the 3rd string tight-end said “Wow” to me after I splattered salsa on his shirt in the nacho bar.  Other than that, head-nods and points are enough for me. I’ll let the super fan co-workers fight for a little time with their favorite superstar.  Where I get my kicks is when I leave from breakfast.  Sometimes a buddy and I pretend that the media outside the cafeteria doors is there for us.  So if you ever see me throw a cheerful wave to a cameraman on Sports Center, know it was to you, my friends at Bradley University.

Never a dull day as public affairs intern at CBS 2

By Burke Blanken ‘10 - Public Relations major

As a public affairs intern at CBS 2 Chicago, I have yet to experience a dull day. Every day is different, exciting, and fast-paced.

Working at one of the top television stations has expanded my knowledge of what it takes to broadcast the news.  Without the behind-the-scenes work of every department, the station would not be able to function.  The work of the public affairs department is only one part of the equation that makes CBS successful.

I work with the Director of Public Affairs to keep CBS connected with the community.  My main responsibility involves reaching out to non-profit organizations.

One way I do this is by screening all the public service announcements sent to the station.  After viewing the PSAs, I determine whether they should be broadcast by the station and take the selected PSAs to traffic to be put into the server.

After the Director of Public Affairs approves events that our newscasters will participate in, it is my job to facilitate communication between the newscaster and the organization.  I have to be sure that both know what is expected.  I also alert the news department to the important details and newsworthy moments of the event so they can determine whether they want to send a crew.

Besides working in the public affairs department, I have had the opportunity to tour the different departments and meet department heads. The other day I had the opportunity to tour the newsroom and watch the 11 a.m. news from the control room and the studio.  Seeing the news from the control room helped me learn exactly what it takes to ensure that each minute of the show goes without a hitch.

I was also able to work with the technical department to handle community relations during the digital television conversion on June 12^th.  While working with the technology help line, I even had my ten seconds of fame on the 11 a.m. news!

As an intern at CBS, I have had the opportunity to apply what I learned in my public relations and business classes in a real work situation. I’ve also met people who have helped me develop and grow in my skills.  I look forward to using what I am gaining at this experience in my future, and will never forget the unique opportunities I have experienced while working with a television station.

Falling in love with the nation’s capital

By Jennifer Durham ‘10 - Organizational Communication major

For quite some time, I have dreamed of living and working in the nation’s capital. This summer, my dream came true as I was able to complete a 10-week internship with Sutter’s Mill Fund Raising & Strategy, a small office located near Capitol Hill.

Sutter’s Mill Fund Raising & Strategy does election consulting and political action committee fundraising for sixteen House Democrats. Their clients include representatives from a wide range of congressional districts. Sutter’s Mill works very closely with campaigns, congressional staff, and a wide range of lobbyists. They combine fundraising and consulting under one roof to give their clients a one-of-a-kind experience.

In my first week at Sutter’s Mill, I had the privilege of meeting the House Majority Leader, Steny H. Hoyer. The first sentence he said to me was “Hi Jenny, I’m Steny.” I also met the DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen and had the honor of meeting and working with sixteen Members of Congress.

It was an incredibly exciting time to be in Washington, D.C. With the congressional races of 2010 quickly approaching, a new presidential administration underway, and plenty of sweeping changes brewing in the legislature, I found myself right in the middle of D.C. political life. Even after being in D.C. for several weeks, I still got chills every time I walked by the Capitol.

Throughout the summer, I assisted with the planning and implementation of more than twenty fund raising events. I had a very active role in planning fundraisers by conversing with catering specialists, reserving rooms, and coordinating the event down to the very last detail. It was incredible to be able to see the end result of all my hard work. I also attended several Meet & Greet gatherings that allow government relation chairs from various lobbying organizations to learn more about the Congressmen or women they support.

In addition to planning events for clients, I spent time researching Political Action Committees and affiliated lobbyists in the Washington, D.C. area. I used a program called the National Geographical and Political Software Program for Democratic Fund Raisers to enter contributions for our clients, record statistical data, update lobbyists, and write memos to Members of Congress.

Another exciting aspect of my internship was being able to use my creativity to produce event invitations, member cards for clients, and design Sutter’s Mill’s first company name tags. At my internship, I learned to pay close attention to details, manage time carefully, work effectively with others, and develop better communication skills. I was able to develop contacts with many of Washington’s political insiders.

Leaving Washington, D.C. was bittersweet to say the least. I learned more in D.C. than I ever could have imagined. I gained valuable real world experience, networked with many influential individuals, and made wonderful memories. I truly fell in love with the nation’s capitol and I hope to move back after graduation and become a true Washingtonian.

Managing musicians in the Big Apple

By Brian Litwin ‘11 - Music Business major

I knew no one in New York City. Adding to my fear of living alone in Manhattan, I was an intern at the legendary Atlantic Records. The flight from O’Hare to LaGuardia felt like one of the longest of my life.

My fear immediately changed to excitement when I stood in front of my office building on 6^th Avenue, just up the street from Radio City Music Hall, for the first time. It hit me -  I am about step into one of the most powerful record labels in the world. Atlantic Records was once home to legendary artists such as Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Cream, John Coltrane, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aaliyah, and many more. They currently have Jason Mraz, T.I., Flo Rida, Rob Thomas, Staind, Kid Rock, Sean Paul, Death Cab For Cutie, Diddy, O.A.R, Rush, and many more.

I was an intern in the Artist Development Department at Atlantic. The job was a very interesting and challenging one - a dream for me. One day I would be adding tour dates to a system that would be blasted to millions of people, another day I could be leading James Blunt’s touring guitar player to meet with our department head (He was really cool and we ended up talking a bit about Chicago because he was recently there). I did many different things and learned how the business works.

One of the bigger projects I had was to develop ideas for a band to promote their tour. The director for the band wanted to focus on a college crowd in the markets where they were touring, and to find ways to promote during the day for their shows at night. I tried to find bigger public events and I didn’t shy away from crazy ideas.

I did the normal intern “go-fer” stuff, but this allowed me to meet people in other departments, and made me realize that half of this internship was networking. I met people from legal, A&R, finance, radio promotion, and many other departments. Through this, I learned the basic structure of a record label and gained knowledge from everyone I talked to.

Another great part of the internship was seeing and meeting with some artists (Corba Starship, Jason Castro, Paulo Nutini, Uncle Kracker and Robert Francis), seeing shows for free, and realizing that working at a record label would be my dream job.

During my time at Atlantic and in New York I made a number of friends, connections, and memories that I will never forget. As you can imagine, it is not cheap to live in Manhattan, but I was able to find a dorm room at NYU in Greenwich Village. I became close friends with some of the other residents who were also alone in NYC and doing internships at companies like JP Morgan, American Girl Doll and Google. They were from all over the world, so I was really able to expand my horizons.

I am truly grateful to have had an incredible opportunity to learn about the industry I am going into. I will miss everything about living and working in New York.

What’s the Word?

By Rachael Altman, MA ‘09

I am no stranger to Hollywood. I have been visiting Los Angeles since the age of four, and loved every minute of it. While I have not made many true friends in this strange land, I have been happy spending quality time with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I have spent the last three summers in Los Angeles, but this summer is by far the best. I did not come to California to spend all day at the beach or to spend the days shopping on Rodeo drive. I ventured out West this summer because I discovered an incredible internship at The WordTheatre in Santa Monica, California.

WordTheatre is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the love of language and literature alive through the art of oral storytelling. This may come as a shock, but WordTheatre is not an actual theatre. Since it is a small nonprofit, we currently do not have enough money to buy a theatre; in fact, we do not even have an office. We work out of the director’s home, and the shows take place in cafes, bars, and other small venues.  WordTheatre is an experience not a mere explanation, but I will do my best to convey the revolutionary hipness of the organization.

Since its inception in 2003, Artistic Director Cedering Fox and her partners have been creating, producing and recording live events featuring literary works performed by world-class authors and actors at our salons in Los Angeles, New York and London. Past participants in WordTheatre events include James Franco (Spider Man, Pineapple Express), Amanda Seyfried (Mama Mia), Amber Tamblin (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), Angela Bassett (Malcom X), John Heard (Home Alone), Edi Gathegi (Twilight), and Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) among several others. We’ve done stories from authors such as T.C. Boyle, Rick Moody, Aimee Bender, Amy Bloom, Steve Almond, A.M. Homes, and Amy Hempel.

Aside from the commute from the Valley to Santa Monica, and the non-stop, bumper-to-bumper traffic, there is nothing about this internship that I can complain about. The weather in Santa Monica is perfect, and I spend my days reading stories and poems, as well as scouring the web for new stories and poems. Each day flies by because I spend my time at the office reading. This does not seem like work because I am doing something that I enjoy.

Recently I have been working on two upcoming shows: UPHEAVAL and Acts of Love: Pioneers. We decided to make UPHEAVAL a revolutionary show by picking stories that push the buttons of people’s comfort. WordTheatre wants to attract a younger audience with this show so we chose edgy stories: Crazy Glue by Etgar Keret, japanese children with digital cameras in a field by Tao Lin and Ellen Kennedy, and Stories by John Edgar Wideman. Acts of Love is the seventh annual WordTheatre benefit show for Autism Speaks. The theme this year is Pioneers. These can be pioneers of art, music, politics, literature, science, or really just about anything. After putting together more than two hundred pages of pioneers research, I am confident in my newly discovered knowledge of “pioneers” and the future of the show.

I have been working at WordTheatre for almost six weeks, and with only two weeks left, I cannot believe how fast the summer has gone by. WordTheatre is a one of a kind experience. I actually feel attached and invested in the work I have completed this summer. I have read some great (and not-so-great) stories, but I have discovered new authors and broadened my literary horizon.

Excited to enter the business

By Alex Mayster ‘10 - Journalism major

The idea of spending my summer working at a newspaper was exciting, but interning at the Chicago Tribune ­­­— that was a dream come true.

I grew up with the Tribune, turning to the paper to keep up-to-date on the latest news. So once I decided to pursue journalism as a career it only made sense to set a goal of one day writing for the Midwest’s most read newspaper. Although I still don’t technically work there, I am now one step closer.

This summer I was lucky enough to “work” in a place where tourists spend time taking pictures and trying to get inside. The Tribune Tower, which is located on Michigan Avenue, was built in 1922 and has stones from all across the world (from the Taj Mahal to the Berlin Wall) in the outer walls of the building. As cool as it was dodging out-of-towners to get into the place I worked, the real fun started on the inside.

My job was split into two different projects: working with the prep sports section until the season wrapped up and serving as a copy editor on the main sports desk. Working in the high school section required me to answer phones, record scores, set up schedules and update the Web site. This seemed a little dull at first but once the playoffs started I was more into high school sports than I have been since, well, high school. This was so valuable because I was able to learn some HTML and gain a better understanding of how the Web works.

After doing that for four or five weeks, I began serving as a copy editor for the sports section. This meant I was reading a lot of stories and coming up with headlines, subheads, and captions for the pictures. By the time I saw the stories, they had already been laid out so coming up with headlines was harder than one might think. You have to be able to get the point of the story across, and add some flare, in the perfect number of letters. Doing these things has given me such an appreciation for all the small things people do to produce a newspaper every day.

I learned so much while working at the Tribune. The number of articles I’ve read and stories I have edited has taught me a lot about the business. Seeing what it is like at a daily, metropolitan newspaper has been amazing, and it left me excited to enter the business.

The experience didn’t end at work. With the money I made from the internship, and a little help from my dad, I was able to sublet an apartment just blocks from Michigan Avenue and the beach. Spending this summer downtown has been amazing from an educational standpoint, but it also has been a lot of fun.

Working with Mags in The PAG

By Leah Moran ‘10 - Advertising major

This summer I am fortunate to be completing my second 10-week internship with Starcom MediaVest Group in the heart of the Chicago Loop. Once again, I am working in the Leo Burnett building, which one can see many times in the movie, Batman: The Dark Knight. Never watch it with me, because I will constantly scream out, “That’s my building!” Although the two-hour commute makes it difficult to be cheerful in the morning, every day at work brings new, exciting challenges.

Starcom is a media agency and sister company to advertising agency Leo Burnett (Yes, that’s me high-fiving Leo in the photo). While advertising agencies actually create advertisements for their clients, media agencies develop strategies for placing those ads and negotiate the rates with different vendors.

For all of you advertising majors who are not convinced that media planning is a thrilling career choice, it is a much more interesting field than it may seem. While the daily work involves a lot of Excel spreadsheets, the media world has so much more to offer.

At Starcom, groups are classified as strategy or activation teams, depending on their specialties. Strategy teams work with a client to develop overall media strategies, assign budgets to campaigns, and choose which media to include in campaigns. Activation teams specialize in certain media (TV, print, digital, etc.) and work with all of the clients who include this medium in their campaigns.

Last summer, I worked on the strategy side of the Oracle account and specialized in the out-of-home campaigns. This involved developing an outdoor media plan for Oracle’s presence at the National Retail Federation’s Big Event in Chicago. This summer, I am working in the Publishing Activation Group (also known as “The PAG”), responsible for planning, negotiating, and buying ad space for clients in magazines and newspapers. I have worked with a variety of clients, such as Altria, Allstate, Exelon, the Museum of Science and Industry, Heinz, Nintendo, LEGO, and Samsung. By transitioning from a strategy to an activation position, I was able to gain a more thorough understanding of media planning as a step-by-step process. I also experienced how strategy and activation teams work together to deliver the best results to their shared clients.

It is common today for advertising professionals to claim that newspapers and magazines are “dying.” To remind industry professionals just how effective advertising in print still is, one of my major responsibilities is working in a small group on an internal public relations campaign displaying the power of print. The Power of Print campaign allows me to work with other PAG employees to research current strengths of print as an advertising medium, outline the research, compile captivating case studies to display, and plan a day-long event within the company to share information.

Some of my larger projects also include managing The PAG blog, completing reports to confirm that our ads are running correctly, and working on a print plan recommendation for LEGO’s DUPLO blocks campaign.

Aside from the work, one of the best things about interning at a media agency is the perks. Through my internship with the PAG, I have met editors, promotional planners, and advertising representatives from major magazines, such as O, SHAPE, People, Southern Living, and more. Getting to know key players also includes attending Cubs games, taking boat tours of the City, going to lunch, visiting the Chicago Tribune printing press, and collecting a ton of free magazines. Overall, the media industry is extremely fun, casual, and busy!

My two internships at Starcom have been great learning experiences and provided me with friends, contacts in the industry, and great memories. Entering my senior year feels bittersweet, but I am now confident that I will graduate prepared to begin my career.

Going big in Manhattan

From Melissa Wahl ‘10 - English major

When I began applying for internships, I knew one thing was certain: I was going big, or going home.

I had been fortunate to have an amazing internship last summer with a non-profit organization in Chicago, but I wanted to give a large publishing house a try.  I knew that would be the only way to test what I believed was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  Consider this a trial run of sorts.

When I applied at Simon & Schuster in New York City, I knew how competitive the applicant pool could be.  I was shocked when a week after submitting my application I received a phone call from the HR department wanting to set up an interview.  I was ecstatic when I found out that they wanted me to come to New York to intern with them.

Now that I am here, it all feels like a dream.  I came not knowing what to expect, not knowing anyone, not knowing if I would leave wanting never to work at a publishing house again. But, this is more than I could have hoped for.

Originally, I was supposed to work with one of Simon & Schuster’s adult imprints, but right before I arrived they switched me to the Children’s Division.  From day one I fell in love with this job. I wake up every morning excited to go to work.  I love working at Simon & Schuster so much, that I truly hope to be employed there after I graduate.

I have learned so much about children’s book publishing. I have worked with everything from small children’s picture books to young adult novels.  I am the “Deputy Publisher” intern, and this allows me to experience a lot of things that many of the other interns do not.  I have read many submitted manuscripts and learned that the majority of what comes in is junk. But I have also reveled in the excitement when a great manuscript comes in.  Currently, two of the manuscripts that I was the first to see are in the process of being acquired by one of the editors!  I can’t wait to see them as finished products. I have also had the chance to write the “cover copy” for a few books coming out next summer, which means that I wrote the summary that will appear on the back cover.

I am working with a lot of picture books and a lot of work is done on our end before a book can go to print.  Many of the illustrators create physical pieces of art for the books, so the artwork needs to be scanned into a digital file.  In doing so, the colors change, so there is a long process of “color correcting” that needs to be done. I have been lucky enough to help with this process.  I even got to go with the editor, illustrator and designer for one of our books to the printing press for the final round of color corrections before the book is printed.  There are many full-time employees who have told me that they haven’t had that privilege!

Even though they are not paying me, there are so many redeeming things about this job. I get to spend the entire summer in New York City, living in Manhattan, and working in Rockefeller Center.  I have networked like crazy simply because everyone in this business knows everyone else. I think that will help me when I am looking for a job after I graduate.  My bank account may not be filling with money, but I am being paid in as many books from the free bookshelves on each floor of the building as I can handle.  I also get to correspond and sometimes meet the authors of my favorite books from childhood.  That is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I couldn’t have asked for a better summer.  I will miss this city and the people I have befriended during my time here. But it also makes me that much more excited to return.  Now I just need to figure out how to get all of these books home!

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

By Corrie Brite ‘10 - Political Science and History double major

When I applied for my internship at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, I knew it was a long shot, as I would be competing against hundreds of students from across the nation. I got it, and after being here for six weeks, I cannot imagine that anyone is having a better summer than I am.

I have learned more than anyone has ever wanted to know about the Nixon administration. Fellow interns hail from all over the United States and we all joke that by the end of the summer we won’t be able to talk about anything except Nixon. The people I have met here have been best friends for a summer and hopefully friends for a lifetime.

I have worked on projects ranging from formatting interview transcripts to writing museum panels for an Apollo space display. My main project deals with cataloguing video clips for the new Watergate exhibit. People that know nothing about Watergate (i.e. me 7 weeks ago) would be FLOORED to see the original plans. Imagine the most ridiculous heist ever planned, with prostitutes, kidnapping, knives, break-ins and guns. That is the original “Watergate.” While the plans were trimmed down by June 1972, the planning and execution of the Watergate Hotel break-in has been fascinating to learn about.

My bosses, Paul and Tim, are two of the most intelligent people I know, always there to give historical context or recommend a must-see movie. It has been awesome to work with two dedicated and qualified historians, both of whom I can approach with any questions about my projects.

John Dean, former counsel to President Nixon, came to speak at the library in June. Because of his testimony, many of Nixon’s advisors were prosecuted for their actions in the Watergate scandal. His testimony can also be linked to Nixon’s decision to resign. Dean is a controversial figure to bring into a library dedicated to Nixon’s legacy. Articles in Time, Newsweek, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, discussed the event held on the 37th anniversary of the Watergate break-in. Dean angered many with his message, but that’s history, everyone remembers it differently.

The second visitor was Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, David Hume Kennerly. Everyone has seen his photos, from the Jonestown Massacre to President Ford’s presidential pictures. Kennerly has witnessed countless major political events first-hand.

Richard Ben-Veniste, a Watergate prosecutor and member of the 9/11 Commission also came to the Library.  I asked if he had advice for a future lawyer and he responded, “If you take a step back and have to question the possibility of your picture ending up on the New York Times the next morning, you should probably stop what you are doing. Just do the right thing.”

The Nixon Library recently came under the control of the National Archives and Records Administration, meaning that I am holding a federal internship. The learning environment is one of unbiased and research-based study. The entire staff is committed to bringing the truth to light, instead of letting it hide in history as it has done for the last thirty years. This internship has been everything that I ever dreamed of. I have met some great people and learned directly from the people who participated in the Nixon Administration. When I conclude this internship in two weeks, I will be leaving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Improving his writing skills (and golf game)

By D.J. Piehowski ‘10 - Journalism major

I won’t lie. A week before I decided to move 1,160 miles away into a house I found listed on Craigslist, in a town where I didn’t know how to find the nearest WalMart, just to take an unpaid internship, my brain was cluttered with a million different things that could go wrong. Surely my car would break down in the mountains of Tennessee or my new roommate would have a pet boa constrictor or the internship would test only my coffee and copy-making skills. Something.

However, eight weeks into the adventure, the only problem I can see is that the summer will be over in a month and a half.

The internship I have been lucky enough to land this summer is with Golfweek magazine, a weekly golf publication based in Orlando, Florida. I have been an avid golfer for as long as I can remember and read Golfweek while I was growing up.  So, an opportunity to talk about golf all day and have a hand in putting the magazine together is phenomenal.

I work in the editorial department, which is in charge of putting together the magazine as well as the website, Golfweek.com. Since the magazine is only a weekly, the website serves the important purpose of keeping readers up-to-date on breaking news as well as providing them with all the material that won’t fit in the book each week. I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about golf until I started working in this department. Every one of the editors knows an unbelievable amount of information about every aspect of the game and every aspect of the journalism world. It has been indescribable to hear stories, opinions and advice from people that have been through every area of the industry in every part of the country.

The focus of my internship is the website, which is something very different from anything I’ve done before. Three assistant editors and I are in charge of writing and editing content for the web and posting it on the site. This has allowed me to learn so much about web site management and troubleshooting as well as a good deal about HTML, which should be handy because, well, it looks like the Internet is here to stay.

One of my pre-internship worries was that my summer would be spent doing mindless busy work.  I didn’t need to worry. From the first day, my co-workers have taken a genuine interest in helping me become integrated into their day-to-day tasks. They have also allowed me the opportunity to do much more writing than I expected.  I have covered small events and have had two stories published in the magazine and a number online.

The most interesting assignment has been writing weekly amateur golf notebooks for the website. I have written a feature on an amateur golfer’s road to the U.S. Open, and, this week, I will be talking to Utah Jazz guard Kyle Korver (This may sound unrelated, but he is actually a 6 handicap who played in the Utah State Amateur Championship last week).

Overall, I can’t say enough for this entire experience. The job and the people have been absolutely amazing and living down here has been a great way to see a different part of the country up close.

Rolling up her sleeves to learn about the product

By Luneta Limbrick  ‘10 - Industrial Engineering major

This summer I am living the life of manufacturing engineer intern at John Deere in Urbandale, a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa - quite a change for someone who grew up in Houston, Texas.

I have several daily duties. The first is being a station boss for the 7760 Cotton picker series and mix model sprayer series. A station boss is an individual assigned to a particular area on the production line to serve as the operators’ guide. I spend about 70% of my day on the production floor making sure the needs of my operators are being met. Some issues that arise are misplaced tools, parts shortages and ergonomics issues. As the station boss, it is my duty to solve these problems and many more. I’m excited to go to work every morning and go down to the line to see what new challenges I will face that day.

This is the first job I’ve ever had where my boss says it’s ok for me to safely crawl under the machine and take a closer look at how it works. Sometimes, to fully understand what’s going on I need to roll up my sleeves and get down and dirty. It also helps give me the ability to explain every detail about the product.

The remaining 30% of the day is spent working on the various projects that have been assigned to me. These projects include working with manufacturing engineers to reduce ergonomics issues, value stream mapping and developing new processes to improve efficiency.

A variety of activities are available in the area after work. One that I find very relaxing is golf. This summer I will participate in my first golf tournament, a scramble comprised of teams that are managers and interns. This event will be a great way to learn more about the culture of the company and management styles, as well as improve my golf skills!

My apartment complex houses other John Deere interns, giving us a great networking opportunity and many fun weekends. Over the course of the summer I have shared many fond memories with this group of individuals from all over the world and will have lasting friendships with them after our session is complete.

Making an impact on 3 million students

By Abby Wilson ‘10 and Dan Pfeiffer ‘10

It’s not every day that a student is able to use his or her skills to make an impact on 3 million other students. Even more rare is the opportunity to make an eternal impact. But that’s exactly what we do every day as interns at the Great Lakes Regional Headquarters of Campus Crusade for Christ in Indianapolis.

Campus Crusade is an international ministry devoted to encouraging college students in their faith in Christ. We’ve been involved with the organization on Bradley’s campus since we were freshmen. This summer, we’ve been given the opportunity to take what we’ve learned from our classes and go behind-the-scenes to work in Operations.

Abby, an English major, is working as a writer for the region. Her responsibilities include writing content for both the main regional Web site and smaller regional Web sites as well as helping provide creative vision. Dan, an Interactive Media major, is working as a video editor and Web designer for the region. He has been shooting and editing video of students’ testimonies to package together into stories of what God has been doing in the Great Lakes Region. Along with seven other interns from South Dakota to Korea, we’ll be helping to spread God’s message of hope.

Our big project for the summer is the 2009 Winter Conference, an event attended by nearly 2000 students every December in Indianapolis. Our job is to come up with a theme for the event and create all the conference materials and promotions - including flyers, videos, graphics, and a Web site. These materials will be made available to nearly 500 campuses across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.

When we’re not working, we’re spending time growing together as a team and reaching out to our neighbors and the city. There is another summer missions project in Indianapolis running a day camp for kids in the inner-city. Last Saturday, we partnered with them to host a free lunch and steel-drum band concert in a local park. Our desire was to serve the community and share with them what has become the most important aspect of our lives - that God sent his son to die for our sins so we may reunite with our creator.

We look forward to bringing back everything we’ve learned from this summer and sharing our experiences with fellow students in the fall. Our internship has allowed us to experience the business world first-hand and work under real-world pressures as we know our work will be seen by thousands of students. With just over a month left in the internship, we know that many surprises and new experiences are still to come. Seeing the difference it has already made in our lives, we can’t wait to see what comes next. As the pace picks up and the challenges mount, we excitedly look forward to how God will move and what amazing things will come from it.

Nothing short of magic

By Jeremy Behrens ‘10 - Theatre Performance and Secondary English Education major

Today, I was a pirate searching for the Land of the Lost Mirrors with a group of 2^nd and 3^rd graders. Last week? I was showing a kid how to throw the perfect right hook and make it look convincing. What I’ll be doing tomorrow depends on the imagination of a child.

That’s because this summer I’m working as an educational programs intern at the Seattle Children’s Theatre in Seattle, Washington. As a theatre performance and secondary English education major, working at the second largest children’s theater in America is by far the best way I could spend my summer vacation.

Each day, I get to work with some of the most enthusiastic students and professional theatre artists to do something that is nothing short of, well, magic. For me, I leave work each day craving the next time I’ll be able to step into a classroom with a group of young performers and just play.

As an education intern, my primary job is assisting the SCT teaching artists in various summer classes for the SCT Drama School. This summer, I have assisted some of the most talented theatre artists in everything from creating and performing in original stories with a group of 3 and 4 year olds all the way to seeing a group of teens find their own truths in a play through intensive scene work. Each day, I get to watch as students who think they are merely playing are actually honing working skills in fine arts. Helping to teach classes like stage makeup, Shakespeare, physical comedy, improvisation, acting for the camera, as well as a bunch of other art-focused camps, is where the biggest chunk of my time goes while working at SCT.

In addition to working in a theatre classroom, I’ve been able to work hands-on with one of the many shows in the SCT Drama School Summer Season. Working as a liaison for “A Midsummer Night’s Macbeth,” an original play written by an ACT staff member, I get to experience the magic of watching a youth theatre production come to life in all of its glory. Primarily taking on a production role in this 100% student performed production, I have been able to learn a few things about being a performer from some incredibly gifted student actors.

One of 16 interns at SCT, I have had the great opportunity to help create, teach, and collaborate on some one-of-a-kind theatre for children. I have been able to learn as an artist along with my students, taking a few workshops and classes along the way also. With this experience, SCT has opened up a whole new world of possibilities to the bright-eyed, overly ambitious theatre and education major in me - a world that brings both my passions together into one of the most fulfilling and inspiring ways possible.

This internship, well, “It’s Grrrrrr-eat!”

By Paul Benario ‘11 - Business Management Information Systems

This summer I have a full time intern position with the Kellogg Company as a part of the IT organization in Oakbrook, Illinois.

I just returned from Foundations, a four-day new hire orientation held at Kellogg headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan.  I am working in the Global IT Building, and I am one of three people in the entire corporation whose job consists of user account administration.  Account administration includes setting up, maintaining and deleting all types of technology-related end accounts.  This may include an employee’s email address or simply access to corporate computers but may also include access for truck drivers, distribution center employees, or plant employees and workers.

The Kellogg IT organization has a total of ten Interns this summer, working on various teams within the IT organization.  During the orientation there was great emphasis on instilling Kellogg’s “K- Values” into all the new hires.  The “K-Values” consist of foundation standards encompassing ethical background and high moral standards of the company, which they encourage all employees to uphold.  An example of a “K-Value” that I really liked was acting with integrity and showing respect and we should “Always assume positive intent.”  This means to assume someone is always doing what he or she should be doing.  It basically means to assume the best about people and their intentions before assuming the opposite.

Kellogg’s has planned for all interns to utilize our various skills to complete a volunteer project for the United Way. The project will be approached as any other full-scale project from planning to implementation, with various groups working on various sections of the project to bring it to completion.

This has definitely been and will continue to be an extremely valuable internship. I really get to experience the corporate way of going about different things since there are so many checks and balances involved.

My internship has provided me with a first hand glimpse into the corporate world as well as the ability to bond with the other interns. I am thoroughly enjoying this internship and highly encourage any student to take advantage of an internship. It is vastly different from classroom learning and experiencing it has a profound effect. By experiencing this first hand it enables you to focus on which aspect of your career you would like to pursue.

A very positive option that I find outstanding is how Kellogg does not have end dates in the Intern’s contracts.  This way the interns can choose to continue to work throughout the school year if they would like and if Kellogg’s would like us to continue.  This option seems to encourage loyalty and dedication.  We are very proud to be affiliated with such a dynamic and well-run organization.

If any Bradley students would like to contact me regarding possible internships at Kellogg’s or in the MIS major, I would love to chat with you. I find that it is a first class organization with an environment that is a pleasure to work in.

Internship takes him out to the ball game

By Dustin Elkin ‘10 - Electronic Media major

This summer is different than any other I have ever had. I am living alone and still in Peoria.

I am living in Peoria by myself because I have my first internship.

I am working for the Peoria Chiefs, the single A affiliate baseball team of the Chicago Cubs. As an Electronic Media (radio/TV) major, I jumped at the chance to work with the team.

I have worked with the Chiefs for 2 months now and I love it. I am learning so much about how production runs in sports. From creating videos to learning how to run a camera on the field, it is such a great experience. My job specifically during the home games is to run the first base side camera. Yes, I am one of the three camera operators and it is so much fun. I get to interact with the fans and the players, and I get a front row seat to every game with the action happening right in front of me.

Personally, I have created the team’s intro video, the pre-game show intro video, the mascot video, and some other fun videos that play on the big screen inside the stadium for all the fans to see. It is such a wonderful feeling for me to watch my videos play in front of thousands of people. Knowing that I did that work makes me feel really good and I am proud of what I do. I do it all for the people around me including co-workers and fans.

The Chiefs have 16 interns with each of us working different jobs. There are production interns, graphics interns, promotion interns, and more. We all have a lot of fun together whether we are working in the office or working during a game. And we work a lot of hours, especially when there is a home game.

Watching and playing sports is one of my passions, and I also love production. So this internship with the Peoria Chiefs was the perfect fit for me. I hope that one day in the near future that this internship will lead me to a similar position because I know that this is what I want to keep doing. I know this summer is going to be a busy one. It will be one that I will never forget and I will continue to work extremely hard as a production intern for the Chiefs.