MAKAYLA WRAY
Bachelor of Science in Communication
Academic Internship
COMM. 368 Internship
During the Summer of 2019 I held an academic internship in the Human Resources department of Drucker + Falk in Newport News. While at my internship I learned a number of things, most importantly the everyday functions of a professional environment. It was fun because I was able to dress much more professional than what I am used to and made lasting impressions that will help me network for future careers. I learned all of the different tasks that the human resources department does on an everyday basis and have a better idea of the general hiring process for companies. This was useful during my internship and just as useful after because I know the different little things that most companies look for during interviews, in applications, and on social media. I am comfortable auditing paperwork and assisting a new employee with their hiring paperwork. Coincidentally, a lot of my coursework has focused on conflict communication and resolution - this class did just the same. I learned many techniques to avoid conflict and diffuse any situation that may arise in the workplace. I am so appreciative for the this internship experience and gained so much life knowledge,
Internship Learning Objectives
This is my internship learning objectives for my time at D+F over the summer. I was able to create and complete all of my goals and I now feel much more confident in HR and applying for other communication related careers.
"Why is my Internship Fun?"
Below is a PowerPoint that I created to help others understand the many reasons why I had so much fun at my internship. As previously mentioned, the professionalism that I learned was so beneficial compared to anything else, but that isn't what got me excited to wake up in the morning and go to work. I had amazing coworkers and we would take 'field trips' for lunch and converse throughout the day about our lives. There was always something fun going on in the office for birthday parties and it was enough to keep things exciting. It is always fun to find those little things that help make your day just a tad bit brighter. I was in charge of our employee summer wellness challenge and it provided me with the chance to grow my leadership skills and promote a healthy lifestyle within the workplace. We encouraged employees with incentives and shared our winners names company wide to congratulate them.
Why is my internship fun?
Skills that Employers are Seeking
Drucker + Falk taught me the skills that I need to prosper in life after college. Everything that we did in the office was collaborative and we all offered a helping hand when we could. I used Microsoft Office often to audit paperwork and update our employees with benefit packages. I was even able to show my coworkers how to use Google Suite, such as Google Docs, to share information with each other in real time. I taught them just as much as they taught me and that is what helped us to be an amazing team.