As the Marketing & Communications Intern for Old Dominion University’s Office of Counseling Services, I was responsible for creating multiple social media posts each week to promote mental health awareness and highlight available services. I also assisted with website maintenance, managed both digital and physical campus advertisements, and designed and launched a monthly newsletter. At the conclusion of my internship, I gathered and analyzed data from our social media and website analytics to create an end-of-year report, identifying which outreach methods and messaging strategies generated the highest student engagement.

​

​​

​

​

An overarching project I led as the OCS intern was the design and launch of a monthly digital newsletter distributed to all students via email and published on the university website. I began by familiarizing myself with ODU’s official brand kit on Canva and designing a template that aligned with the office’s message and visual identity.

​

Once the layout was established, I collaborated with staff within our office and across the university to feature upcoming events, campaigns, and student resources in each edition. After finalizing the content, I managed the distribution process, which included emailing the newsletter to students and faculty, uploading it to the university website, creating a version for campus TV displays, and posting it across our social media platforms.

​​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​

​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​

​

 

It’s important to note that I chose to work as the Marketing & Communications Intern for ODU’s Office of Counseling Services (OCS) despite having a concentration in Technical Writing and recently completing my internship at Liebherr Manufacturing because I was at a crossroads: Do I continue to pursue my concentration in Technical Writing and a STEM-focused career, or do I tap into old passions of content creation and marketing? Since I hadn’t taken any formal coursework in marketing but previously held a marketing position in 2021, I saw this internship as a valuable opportunity to explore both directions before finalizing the focus of my college education.

Well, after experiencing two very different professional fields, I can confidently say that working in marketing reaffirmed my decision to concentrate in technical writing, but that does not make my experience this semester interning for OCS any less fulfilling. I genuinely enjoy certain aspects of content creation, especially projects like the monthly newsletter, and in this position I further developed my communication and analytical skills. However, I didn’t enjoy spending hours each day on social media trying to anticipate the next big trend, nor did I enjoy the pressure to appear in videos and become the face of the brand. I much preferred contributing behind the scenes through high-level photography, videography, and desktop publishing, as I had in my 2021 marketing experience. Despite these challenges, I’m grateful I chose this opportunity, as it helped me stop second-guessing my career path and feel more confident in my choices. Peace of mind matters, and now I can focus more intentionally on technical writing—a field I know I’ll genuinely enjoy.