Category Archives: Intern Spotlight

Meet the Spring 2023 University Housing Marketing Manager Intern – Gabrielle Krick

My name is Gabrielle Krick, and I am the marketing manager intern for University Housing & Conference Services during the Spring 2023 semester. This internship allowed me to gain valuable experiences in the behind-the-scenes of marketing and management at a university. I also learned an immense amount of information about what goes into making the residence halls as incredible as they are. I am extremely grateful for this experience and what it has done for my growth, both professionally and personally.

What did you learn about marketing and blogging?

I learned a lot more goes into marketing and blogging than what I previously realized. Originally, I thought that multiple posts could be completed within a day, but I very quickly realized a singular post could take days to actually curate, particularly if outside sources are being used to contribute to the post.

It is also a job that often has undetermined hours. There were days I was done with work by lunch time and others where I logged into our social media at 8 p.m. to work on posts. Monitoring social media is a very timely process that definitely has its sweet spots for ensuring an ample success rate.

Finally, I feel I really learned what exactly my voice is in the blogging realm. While there is a right and wrong way to blog, especially when you are the voice behind a university department, it is also important to differentiate yourself from every other blog by appropriately using your voice. This semester, I found my voice, and what I plan for it to be in the future.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learned I can handle a lot more than what I previously expected of myself.  While working 20 hours a week on this internship, I also had three courses I was taking, another part-time job, and two clubs that I am on the board for. In the beginning weeks of the semester, it was a lot. So much so, that I thought there was no way I could handle it all for the duration of a 15-week semester. I persevered though, nailed down my routine, and made it through my final semester as an undergraduate student. I learned I am capable of so much more than I give myself credit for.

What is your favorite blog post that you wrote?

My favorite blog post that I wrote is The Dos and Don’ts of Getting Involved in College. This was a really personal piece for me. The organizations I am apart of at Millersville University are truly what have gotten me through the past four years. Without these outlets, I do not know that I would have made it, and it was surreal getting to share those experiences through a blog post that I hope helped at least one student.

What was your most memorable project?

My most memorable project was more of a general experience that I got to participate in throughout the semester. I was able to work with an actual marketing team. It was incredibly exciting and rewarding getting to interact and collaborate with professionals in areas I hope to work full-time in after graduation. Also, witnessing them interacting, specifically on Microsoft Teams, was interesting. While it may have seemed insignificant to them, I was taking note each day of how my coworkers were operating successfully as a team, rather then just individuals.

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently planning to move to Philadelphia to pursue an undetermined role in marketing. I am excited to venture out of the small town I have spent most of my childhood in and be closer to family in the process.

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Gabrielle Krick is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Management and minor in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include human resources, social media marketing, and content marketing. When she graduates in May 2023, Gabby hopes to work for a large company’s human resources department, specifically representing minorities and the LGBTQ community. She hopes to either stay in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area or move somewhere near Rehoboth, Delaware.  

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Meet the 2020-2021 University Housing Marketing Intern – Lydia Shaloka

My name is Lydia Shaloka, and I was the marketing intern for University Housing & Conference Services from May 2020 to May 2021. Being the marketing intern helped me learn more about the department and all of the work that goes into making the residence halls as incredible as they are. I gained valuable experience creating marketing content, analyzing marketing data, and working with others from my department, outside of my department, and even outside of MU. I am so grateful for this experience and believe it has helped me grow both professionally and personally.

What did you learn about marketing and blogging?

This internship provided me with the opportunity to apply what I was learning in my marketing courses in real-world scenarios and gain a lot of new knowledge about marketing as well. I learned much more about how to use social media sites like Instagram and Twitter for marketing purposes. Additionally, I gained valuable experience using Google Analytics to analyze marketing data and understand how it can be used to improve the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. I also learned how important effective marketing is, particularly in the higher education field.

The changes and challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic meant the University Housing department needed to be able to quickly communicate important information to both current and incoming students and their parents. I learned how to communicate this information by creating quality content that delivered a consistent message across all platforms. Housing’s marketing efforts have helped keep the Millersville University community safe throughout this pandemic, and I was honored to be a part of those efforts.

Prior to this internship, I had very little blogging experience. I learned so much about how to create quality blog posts and how to maintain a WordPress blog site. I also learned that blogs can be a very beneficial marketing tool.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learned that I really enjoy graphic design! I created graphics for our social media sites and the blog using Canva, a graphic design software. I also designed flyers that were hung in the residence halls and small cards that were distributed to students. I really enjoyed getting the chance to be creative and coming up with concepts for different marketing materials.

What is your favorite blog post that you wrote?

I liked writing blog posts that were creative and entertaining to read but that were also informative. One of my favorites is The ABC’s of Millersville University.  I went through the alphabet and wrote something about Millersville that started with each letter. Finding something for X and Z were tricky but I made it work! I also really liked writing the post, True or False: How Much Do You Know About Millersville’s History? I liked writing this post because I learned some fun facts about Millersville in the process.

I also liked one of my more informative posts, Should You Declare a Minor? I felt like this post contained useful information and doing research for it also helped me when I was deciding whether or not I should declare a minor. Another informative post I really enjoyed writing was What I Wish I Knew My Freshman Year. This post gave me the chance to reflect on my freshman year at Millersville and hopefully help other incoming freshman know what to expect.

What was your most memorable project?

My most memorable project was coming up with various events to hold in anticipation of room selection. We hosted Among Us games, Bingo, Jeopardy, and more. We gave away various prizes to students who participated in the events. I enjoyed this project because I got to collaborate with some amazing members of the Housing team for it and saw firsthand how we were able to host engaging and fun events virtually. Plus, who doesn’t love giveaways?

What are your plans for the future?

I am going to be working as a Marketing Specialist for Freedom Mortgage. I hope to continuing blogging on my personal blog site and mainly write about the things I’m passionate about, such as marketing and food.

Meet the Marketing Intern

My name is Stephanie Wenger and for the Spring 2020 semester I have been the Marketing Intern for the Department of Housing and Residential Programs. Throughout my internship I have learned a lot of valuable information about content marketing, writing professionally, and using social media for a business. Before taking this internship I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after I graduated, but now I have learned that I want continue writing professionally and get more into content marketing.

What did you learn about marketing and blogging?

As an English BA major I have written a lot of papers over the years. I have always enjoyed writing and this internship allowed me to have a job where I got to do what I love. The type of writing a person does professionally is different than writing papers for a class. I had to learn how to write for a business’s blog in a way that drew more people in. Another writing skill I learned was how to write more efficiently. For papers I always had to write more and give more information. This internship has taught me how to get my point across with fewer words.

Since I am not a marketing major I had to learn how to use social media as a marketing tool. I have my own personal social media accounts, but I had to learn how to run a business’s account. It was difficult, but I have learned so much about the marketing world and how social media fits into it.

What did you learn about yourself?

Like I stated above I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after I graduate. I knew I wanted to do something that I loved, but I wasn’t sure what that was yet. Working as a Marketing Intern and writing for the Housing and Residential Programs’s blog has helped me realize that I love to write. I really enjoyed writing for the blog and creating the banners for them. I would love to do a job like this after graduating.

What is your favorite blog post that you wrote?

It is hard to narrow down my favorites because I enjoyed writing all of them. I would have to say that my favorites were the series I did on some of the different clubs on campus, How to Prepare for an Interview, and Need Motivation?

I loved learning about some of the different clubs on campus because it is sometimes hard to find them. The clubs that I was able to reach were the Dance Team, English Club, ASL Learner’s Club, and the Circle K.  Each club was fascinating to learn about and they were eager for others to know about them.

I liked the post I did about preparing for an interview because I felt it was good information to know. It is hard and stressful when you are getting ready for an interview, especially if it is your first real interview. It is important for people to understand what to say and how to dress before going into an interview.

It is hard at times to stay motivated during the semester. I enjoyed writing the motivation post because I felt it was that time of the semester when everyone needs a little encouragement to keep going. I also loved finding the different quotes because it helped to keep me motivated.

What was your most memorable project?

The most memorable project that I worked on was the Room Selection Info Session. I had helped organize, promote, and run this session. I learned how to prepare for an event and organize one. This was also the first event that I promoted. It gave me the experience of a marketer and helped me become better at problem solving.

What are your plans for the future?

I am graduating this semester so I am starting my job hunt. I want to continue in a field where I write professionally as well as start freelance writing. There are no set plans for my future, but I am sure I will find the job best suited for me. I have learned so much and I hope to bring what I learned into my future careers.

Meet the Marketing Interns

For Fall 2019, the Department of Housing and Residential Programs (HARP) has the pleasure of introducing two interns to our team. Lani Rooney is a senior communications major with an option in media and broadcasting. Rylan Harvey is a senior English and philosophy major.

Why did you choose to intern with HARP?

Lani:  I am also an RA for Housing and Residential Programs. I work in Shenks Hall. My supervisor RAD Matt thought that it would be a good idea for me to intern for HARP because of my experience as an RA. I feel that HARP could really benefit from the kind of work I can do as far as making promotional videos and other digital media for the department. I also get to do a bit of research this semester as well as brush up on my content strategy for the web and analytics.

Rylan: I hope to work in higher education after I graduate, and it’s important to understand that universities are both businesses and avenues of knowledge. I chose to intern with HARP because the department lies within that intersection. As the intern and an English major, I have the opportunity to learn how to blog for a business and how to use various social media platforms to reach prospective and current students.

Intern Lani

What is your most memorable experience in the residence halls?

Lani: As a resident, my most memorable experience was probably when I would hang out in the lobby of the residence halls and really get to know my RAs. It made me want to interact with my RAs more and come out to more programs. It’s the small things that really sparked my interest in getting more involved in the halls, so much so that my second semester here, I became an RA. My most memorable moments in the halls now would probably have to be, again, the time I spend with my fellow RAs.

Rylan: I am currently a commuter student, but I transferred from Bloomsburg in the fall of 2015. My RAs at Bloomsburg decked out the hall with Frozen decorations around fall midterms, and I had coincidentally ordered an Olaf onesie around the same time. As soon as I saw the giant painting of Elsa in the lobby, I immediately put on my onesie and started quoting Olaf with my RAs and people in my hall. Later that week, a few people gathered around the TV in the second-floor lounge and watched Frozen.

Intern Rylan

What aspect of the internship are you most looking forward to?

Lani: My specialty is digital media. I love to create storyboards and then go out with a camera to capture footage. My favorite part is to edit it all together into the final project. It will be really rewarding to see how many interactions the final project will get and how much of a return will come to HARP as a result.

Rylan: I’m excited to work on creating blog posts. I have written for Odyssey Online in the past, so I have a background in blogging, but I’m excited to learn how to blog for a business and tailor social media posts and print material to generate exposure and engage my target audience.

Meet the Marketing Intern

My name is Gabi Slucki and for the Fall 2018 Spring 2019 school year I have had the pleasure of being the Marketing Intern for Housing and Residential Programs. Throughout this time, I have learned a lot about marketing and more importantly the importance of using a blog to implement content marketing. Through these past two semesters this internship has challenged me to learn more about myself and shows me how far I have grown over this past school year. As time gets closer and closer to graduation, I am very happy I had the opportunity this year to participate in this rewarding internship that helped me develop skills for future jobs.

What did you learn about marketing and blogging?

Through this experience I was able to have hands on experience using concepts and techniques I have learned in my marketing classes. Having this hands-on experience helps me to understand marketing concepts better and marketing as a whole because I am not just learning it in the classroom, but I was actually able to apply them to real life situations. For example, by understanding my target audience better and knowing what they want to see, I was able to tailor and direct my social media and print materials to them in a more direct way to generate exposure and engagement.

As for blogging, I learned a great amount of information about this type of marketing as well. Before I was the intern, I actually wrote for the Odyssey Online community so the idea of blogging wasn’t new to me. The idea of writing a blog for business was newer to me because that meant I had to understand my audience better and make sure to use a consistent tone from post to post. This also meant I had to create topics within my market, this was a struggle for me at first, but once I fully understood the department and what they stood for I was able to implement more ideas to show their values, but also implement fun post ideas.

What did you learn about yourself?

Throughout this process I was able to learn more about myself. From the beginning of my internship to now, I have noticed a big change in my confidence as well as the content of my writing. Also, through the process I have learned more information on what makes a print ad like a flyer successful and how to design one to gain attention. During this internship, I was able to use my design skills I have developed through my business courses at Millersville and the experience showed me that I am capable of creating content that others will like. This internship also showed me that I know more about marketing as I thought and I should be more confident in my skills. The blog was a huge part of my experience as the intern and it actually showed me that I do love to write and I highly enjoy it, so I have actually been looking into jobs that involve blogging and writing after graduation.

What is your favorite blog post that you wrote?

Out of all of the different blog posts I have written over the course of two semesters, 43 to be exact, I think the post I wrote titled, “What Makes You Prideful?” was my favorite. This post was about the Pride Fest that Millersville had in October. I thought this was a great event and showed the amazing community we have here on campus as well as the cool events we have to offer students. Housing and Residential Programs had a table at this event where we asked people to write down what made them most prideful. Throughout the event, we received many different responses that I was able to analyze to create infographics for my blog post. I really liked the fact I was able to gather measurable data and add it to my written content to make for a great post. You can find the post here if you would like to read it!

A close second would have to be the post I wrote called “Barista Picks My Drink for a School Week” because it was fun to take part in and because I personally love coffee. If you want to check this one out as well you can click here !

What was your most memorable project?

The most memorable project I worked on during my time at Housing and Residential Programs was the long project I completed regarding the room selection process. In order to get the word out about the room selection process for next school year, I was tasked with creating a theme and connecting activities and events to help students learn more information. This was the most memorable project I had because a lot of my time went into it, but it was also a very fun project I worked on. For this project I was able to plan out events with Saxbys, the Upper Deck and also create an event for students to attend to learn more information on the process in the South Great Room. One of the coolest things I did for this project was help my coworker create a design for a candy bar that we can give to students to remind them to pick their rooms. This was an interesting idea we came up with to market the room selection process in a way that students would enjoy.

Overall, this was a great learning experience and one I will remember when I think about my time spent as Millersville for years to come!