Hunter Museum of American Art

As a college student, I know how much professors stress getting good internships before graduation. From day one, they pound it into our brains. Without being quite so blunt, they tell us that there is practically no hope of landing that dream job without at least one internship. This is a scary thing for a college student to hear. It’s frightening to think about competing with your classmates for one spot at a company. Not only that, but there is the question, “Will I be prepared to do the work if, by chance, I get the job?”

After eight weeks as an intern in the Hunter’s public relations and marketing department, I can tell you that, yes, it is as scary and as important as professors make it sound, but it can be done and is very much worth it. This is my second internship, and I can easily say that they provide valuable real-world experience that you can’t find anywhere else. Being an intern means you learn first hand the ways of the profession you want to enter. As an intern you are allowed to make mistakes at work, and from these mistakes you learn. In the end, you are better prepared for that real job where mistakes are not taken so lightly.

I have been an intern at the Hunter since January, and I must say that it has been a wonderful experience. While it takes time and a lot of effort, I know I have gained knowledge that will help me better succeed in my first job. Not only have I learned skills that will help me in my future public relations career, I have also acquired a greater appreciation for art. This is something that I did not expect, but it enriched my internship.

During my time at the Hunter, I must say I have been amazed to learn how many different projects are going on at once. My boss is constantly working on a variety of task, which means I am too. One day I’ll be writing a press release for an upcoming event and the next I will be in the museum conducting surveys. This has been a pleasant surprise for me. The assortment of work keeps me on my toes and constantly learning.

If I had to give other college students one piece of advice, it would be to listen to your professors. They really do know what they are talking about. Go out there and do the legwork, find an internship that you are interested in and apply for it. I promise, it will pay off in the end, and you might actually have some fun along the way.

Emily Kohntopp, Public Relations and Marketing Intern