Intern Diaries: Lucy W.
Life (and internships) don’t have to be perfect to be wonderful, and true professionals can do anything to make a sticky situation lighter through treating people with humanity and optimism. There are the two greatest lessons I’ve learned through my time interning at JMG, and I truly consider this to have been the semester of a lifetime (in more ways than one). In January I came all the way from Nashville, Tennessee through my university’s study abroad alternative program that allows students to intern in New York City, and honestly at first I had no idea to expect. My program’s professors warned us that NYC professionals, especially those working in fast paced industries like PR, would be way less “warm and fuzzy” than those we had been used to working with in Nashville.
However, when I walked into JMG on my first day I knew I was in the right environment for me. Jenna, Lauren, and Frances were welcoming, kind, and I could tell immediately that each of them was sharp as a tack. Throughout my entire semester, they served as mentors, role models, and the best examples of what it looks like to be savvy public relations professionals. They always made an effort to treat each person they reached out to with respect and the idea that there was always another human at the other end of the email or phone call, and that is what makes JMG such a special place. Interning for JMG has been a masterclass in professional kindness and top notch PR, and I am so grateful to have had as many opportunities and responsibilities as I did over the course of the semester.
Throughout this semester, I learned about the art of the perfect Instagram Story, how to make the most impactful media list, and what it’s like working with clients in any field. After learning more about start-ups, entertainment, real estate, and nonprofits, I truly feel like a more well-rounded professional who’s ready to take on the world. Meanwhile, I earned experiences like heading to the Upper West Side to get content for social media, helping out with research through surveying pedestrians in Washington Square Park, and tagging along to a magazine interview in Chelsea — things every New York intern dreams of doing!
Additionally, this semester has taught me that I’m capable of adapting to change and doing hard things. Having to make the decision to end my semester in New York months earlier than planned, taking one last subway ride to Wall Street to say my goodbyes to everyone at the JMG office, and then packing up my tiny dorm room in Brooklyn were some of the hardest things I’ve done as a young adult. However, it was the right decision for the health and safety of myself and those around me, and the ability to continue both my classes and internship with JMG online from my hometown were true blessings during a time where others in our society are facing unprecedented loss in the wake of this global health crisis. Working from home all of the sudden at first seemed like a daunting task, but Jenna, Lauren, and Frances have been unwavering in taking the time to answer questions, chat, and allow us to continue working on amazing projects during these weeks of social distancing. Had you told me two months ago that I would have built a completely brand new Secret Life of a PR Girl website while sitting at my childhood kitchen table, I would have laughed. However, stranger things have happened, and I’m a better professional for having done it! All in all, JMG has been such a vessel of positivity and an example of hard work during this unique period of history that we’re living in, and I am so grateful to have been along for the ride during this semester!
-Lucy W.
