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My Summer as the AAFW-NEI Intern

To say I’m thankful is an understatement

I’ve enjoyed my time at my internship more than, I think, my three supervisors know. Every time I would call or see my friends, we discussed what we were doing with our summers. I always, enthusiastically, told them about the work I was doing with the Association. Even in the first few weeks, when I didn’t know that much about it, I would tell them how excited I was about all the different activities I was doing or planning to do this summer.

Now, my portfolio is updated with awesome content that I had the opportunity to create. My resume has a whole new look. My future interviewers will be able to hear all about my advantageous experiences. This internship was an awesome opportunity and a true privilege.  

Besides, the loads of free candy, breakfasts, and coffee (good coffee at that) that I received this summer, I also, obtained a remarkable learning experience. I already have a 4-page document to detail these lessons, but I’m sure I could never write down every single piece of information that this internship has taught me. Here, I have created a summary list of the knowledge I have received this summer.

  • Technical skills – While creating content, doing registrations, and working in the office, I have worked with new programs, like Survey Monkey, Google Voice, Mass email organization, the postage machine, and large-scale printing practices. I’ve also discovered more tips for working with InDesign and Excel.
  • Events – Throughout the internship, I saw and assisted with the planning of the June Breakfast Connection, the Golf Outing, several committee meetings, and a few education events. I learned the amount of preparation that goes into events of varying sizes and aspects, to plan for, that I haven’t thought of before.
  • Social Media – I regularly engaged with our Facebook page, scheduled posts, and observed Peggy do her behind-the-scenes work to improve our customer engagement on social media. I found new tips for managing an organization page and discovered what content followers interact with the most.
  • Teaching – Even though I never taught, I did observe a few education sessions that the Association put on. I learned a lot just from documenting evaluation comments alone.
  • Website – By writing a blog every week and attending staff meetings, I found out about website upkeep and how to maximize SEO.
  • Blog – I practiced writing for an organization on a weekly basis, sometimes twice a week. I balanced writing with my other projects, and learned how to make brief but engaging posts.
  • People – I saw how the majority of people in marketing and sales are fully invested in the success of their company, and therefore, passionate about their jobs. I recognized how friendliness and kindness will take you far in your personal and business relationships. I got to know the wonderful women of the Association, whose guidance extended beyond what I could have ever expected.
  • Networking – This is a super important skill in any career, so it makes sense that the Association does everything they can to make it accessible for their members. I got my shot at networking several times throughout this summer, and met some incredible people. Follow me on LinkedIn, if you’d like to stay connected!
  • The Multi-Family Housing Industry – I didn’t expect to learn as much as I did about this industry alone. Through events, phone calls, registration, and conversations, I’ve acquired a great deal of information. I can definitely say that any business who works in this industry should be a part of their local Association for endless tools to thrive because being a registered member is priceless.
  • Design – I published several of my own pieces, from brochures, to ad pages, to FB designs, to cards. I also observed the process of publishing by touring two places who dealt with parts of the printing process and talking to Peggy about publishing the Apartment Guide.
  • Miscellaneous – Raspberry chocolate coffee is possibly the best home-brewed coffee, I’ve ever tasted. The cure to a bad start to the work day is slowing down, sipping some coffee, and listening to a good playlist.
  • About Myself – I love having female bosses (though I would never want to exclude men, as we are equal). It’s just great that we can have casual conversations about women stuff, like the perks and pitfalls of wearing a dress to work. I have found great satisfaction in my work with the Association, and I feel more confident than ever in my desire to work in marketing. I only hope that I can find a career where I am able to apply the skills I have cultivated at the Association.  

I cannot express enough how much I have treasured my time at AAFW-NEI. As I sit in my front desk chair for the last time, typing these words into Word, I have to pause and enjoy this moment.

Thank you to everyone I met this summer. You made my internship more than worthwhile, especially my supervisors Beth, Peggy, and Hope. My gratitude for all your patience, generosity, and compassion is immense.

Sincerely,

Caroline McMasters

Purdue 2019

Professional Writing

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