Growing up, I have always been attracted to technology–because of how it looks, how it works, or just the overall appeal. I was always fascinated and excited when it came to technology. Because of this, I wanted to pursue a career in engineering, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I was forced to go out of my comfort zone and try something new. This is how I came to my internship experience with ElevateEdAZ. I didn’t really know much about marketing and social media, but I kept seeing those words pop up everywhere. Towards the end of my junior year of high school, I came across an announcement in Google Classroom about an open opportunity for someone to become a Marketing and Social Media Intern with ElevateEdAZ. At first, I debated on whether I should even apply, but as time went on and the closing date was quickly approaching, I decided to go ahead and submit my resume. What’s the worst that could happen? My interview went well, and as we can see, I became ElevateEdAZ’s summer of 2021 Marketing and Social Media Intern!
This experience has not only blessed me but allowed me to get a feel for real world experiences and understand what the business realm is like. As my internship began, I had a lot of meetings that consisted of being introduced to all the different teams and programs of the Foundation and the Chamber. This encouraged me to not only focus on my work with social media but keep an eye out for something else that might spark an interest. As I was interacting with everybody, I felt extremely welcome and I was overjoyed with all the excitement flowing through the Foundation. I came to understand that teamwork really does make the dream work. Communication is key when it comes to running a business, and while working with ElevateEdAZ, I got to see how much communication really goes on and how big of a role it plays. My work for ElevateEdAZ consisted of writing social media posts and toolkits for their desired audiences, as well as researching what can be done to help boost their social channels. With this work, I had to quickly adjust to a new world of time management and create a schedule that worked for me. In a regular workday, I would attend meetings and work on my assignments, but because I had relatively short days, I had to make sure that I was using my time wisely.
This all contributed to my growth as a motivated young professional and has helped me develop skills I will need for my future endeavors. Having participated in this internship, I was provided a feel for what this career is all about and help me down the line decide if work in marketing and social media is a career path I want to pursue. I am fortunate enough to have acquired such an opportunity and I believe this experience has helped shape me as a person and how I will approach similar situations in the future.
Written by Erica Khatter, ElevateEdAZ 2021 Marketing and Social Media Intern