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.