Hi! My name is Laura Bannister, and I am the marketing intern at CommonPlaces for Summer 2019. I just completed my junior year at Cedarville University in Ohio and am excited to graduate next year with a bachelor's degree in Professional Writing and Information Design (PWID).
Why PWID?
As a senior in high school, I struggled to find a major that interested me. Each major had certain aspects that I liked, but nothing really excited me. I knew what interested me but wasn’t sure if they could mesh as a career. Marketing sounded fun, but I didn’t want to major in business. I love art but didn’t want to be a graphic designer. I enjoy writing but didn’t want to be an English major.
After months of feeling stuck, I discovered the PWID program at Cedarville and immediately knew it was the perfect fit. PWID majors learn how to write and design clear, organized content for a variety of purposes such as marketing, technical communication, or documentation. After looking at the different courses I would be taking and meeting with the professors to ask questions, I was amazed at how well the major fit a variety of my interests.
Why CommonPlaces?
The PWID program requires an internship, so this year I began searching for one that would be a good fit. My hope was to find an internship that would combine my passion for writing, designing and marketing in a hands-on environment. After searching online for a bit, I found CommonPlaces Interactive. About a month after applying online, I got an email from Kristen with the opportunity to interview, and everything fell into place.
This is my third week at CommonPlaces, and I have already learned so much more than I had originally hoped. I have been able to strengthen skills such as designing infographics and writing blog posts while gaining new skills such as using a content management system, editing web pages and brainstorming concepts. Every day, I am able to sit in on meetings that allow me to better understand the company and see how each department works together. I am grateful that Kristen isn’t afraid to give me responsibility, and I have enjoyed getting to work on projects that challenge me to think as a marketer.
What’s Next?
The CommonPlaces team has shown a genuine interest in my education and wants me to leave this internship with as much experience and knowledge as they can give me.
On my first day of the internship, Kristen and I made goals for my time at CommonPlaces such as becoming HubSpot certified in marketing, writing blog posts and editing some of the website’s content. Each of these goals will not only help me during this internship, but also during my senior year and any future career I may pursue.
I am looking forward to growing as a writer, marketer and communicator during these next few months and applying what I have learned in the classroom to real-life situations. Kristen and the rest of the CommonPlaces team have done a great job of making me feel welcome, and I am excited to see what the rest of this summer will hold.