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Mat Releases | Earned Media Coverage | Family Features Editorial Syndicate

College is a great opportunity to learn more about your areas of interest and future career goals, but sometimes it takes on-the-job experience to discover something that you didn’t even know you were interested in. This is the case for Caroline Maher, Family Features’ 2017 summer intern. Caroline will be a senior at Kansas State University and graduating with a degree in Mass Communications and Journalism with an emphasis in Advertising. She thought she knew where she wanted her job path to lead, but her time at Family Features has opened her eyes to options that she hadn’t originally considered.

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L-R Caroline, Cindy (top), Jordan (bottom), Emily

Tell me a little about yourself.

I am currently a student at K-State and expected to graduate in May 2018. Journalism and Mass Communications has always interested me, but I recently took a design class that opened my eyes to how fun the design process can be. I am a huge animal person – I love my dogs, Bosco and Harley. Photography is something that really interests me, I would love to take more photo classes and possibly integrate my photography with creative advertising.

How did you discover that you were interested in working in the Mass Communications/Journalism/PR industry?

A teacher in high school really pushed me to become a better writer, but I never actually considered it as a career option. My love for creative writing helped me determine that the Mass Communications and Journalism route was the right fit for me. I love how this major lets me express my ideas. This industry is always changing; there is always something new to learn and no two days are exactly the same.

What are you hoping to get out of your intern experience?

I am hoping to gain skills from the workplace that I wouldn’t have the ability to learn in the classroom. My professors have taught us so much about the industry, but I want to gain firsthand experience from working in a PR organization. The Sales and Production departments both interest me more than I anticipated. It has been really interesting to see how each department impacts the entire organization. An internship is a learning experience and I am hoping to come out of this internship with a good grasp of what I want to do for my future. This internship has really opened my eyes to what it is like in the professional world - I have enjoyed it so far and I can’t wait to learn more as the summer progresses!

Did you know much about organizations like Family Features or earned media prior to your internship?

I knew a small amount about editorial syndicates, but I am learning more every day. Advertising was my main area of interest prior to my work at Family Features, but I am now realizing that I am very interested in Marketing and PR. I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much! I like how it is fast paced and requires many different skills. The responsibilities of the internship were overwhelming at first, but it is becoming easier every day. I have learned more in a couple weeks at Family Features than I learned in a month of class. It is very rewarding to be in an environment where I can apply the principles I have been learning in school and develop new skills.

What has been your favorite project or favorite aspect of the business to learn about?

My favorite projects have been working on blog post ideas and the weekly media emails. The creative writing experience for both has been really gratifying. The blogs have given me the chance to improve my writing skills. This is my first exposure to marketing email software and it is a great experience that I will be able to apply in my future employment opportunities. I also really like putting my own unique spin to the copy in the media emails. I have really liked learning more about the products we offer – especially the Formatted Features. I love to see the content creation process and the end result that our media network loves. The recipe videos are really fun to watch because you get to see how each recipe is made and it gives me new ideas for cooking at home!

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far?

Keep my mind open to different possibilities and to always ask questions. Everyone truly wants to support and help me make the most out of my time at Family Features. I have learned how essential each team is to the end result of a project and how critical every employee is to the success of the company. The Media and Marketing departments are important to keep up with seasonal trends and what editors are looking for in their publications. The Production team is the heart of Family Features and vital to a piece of content being successful. Sales has taught me how valuable it is to maintain a strong relationship with our clients and to exceed their needs and expectations.

How will the things you have learned during your internship help you with your last year of school?

Although I have learned so much at K-State, I will finally be able to utilize my real world experience from my internship and combine it with what I have been learning from my professors. I can apply what I have learned from this experience to help me excel in my classes and to have a better understanding of this industry. Before I started working here, I wasn’t really familiar with all that Family Features offers and what they do, but getting to be a part of this team has opened my eyes to a whole new area of interest. Sitting down and having conversations with coworkers to learn more about what each person does has been instrumental with my learning process. I have greatly enjoyed my internship experience so far and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store!

What advice would you give future interns or those applying for an internship at Family Features or other businesses?

The advice I would give would be to put yourself out there! Try new things and always be willing to take on new tasks. An internship is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door and make connections in the industry. Ask questions and don’t hesitate to share your ideas!

 

Emily Angold
Emily Angold

As Marketing Manager, Emily executes strategies to increase brand awareness in addition to creating new campaigns and data analyzation. Her creative ability and organizational skills are essential to delivering quality brand messaging.