Internship Reflection

Kansas State University Master of Agribusiness:

Communications Intern

Presented by Brigette Kloeppner

Introduction
● Master of Agribusiness program
○ Within the College of Agriculture/Agricultural Economics Department
○ “Award-winning, distance education graduate degree program that focuses on
food, animal health and agribusiness management”
●
● Communications intern
○ Provide support for communications efforts with potential/future students,
current students, alumni and outside influences
Logistics
● Finding an internship:
○ Research on job sites such as Indeed, Handshake and the JMC website internship listing
● Handshake application and interview process
● Current position:
○ November 2017-April 2018
○ 15 hours per week (Spring 2018: 3 hrs on Monday/6 hrs. on Tuesday/6 hrs. on Thursday)
○ Supervisor: Mary Emerson-Bowen, Program Associate and Marketing Director
Key Roles and Duties
● Provide support for communications efforts with potential/future students,
current students, alumni, University, media, industry leaders and other
outside influences
● Primary focus on content creation (20th Anniversary year)
● Communications conducted through means such as:
○ Physical: brochures, postcards, fact sheets, faculty information sheets, press releases, etc.
○ Digital: website, social media, email lists, etc.
Samples of Work
Pros and Cons
● Pros:
○ Internship is very flexible for college students (set hours based on your class
schedule, located on-campus, closed for university holidays and breaks)
○ Paid internship
○ Provides considerable graphic design experience
○ Allows for creative interpretation and exploration
● Cons:
○ Lack of guidance can make directions unclear and cause frustration
Relation to JMC program
● Classes
○ MC 280: Public Relations Writing
■ Press releases, writing for social media, etc.
○ MC 480: Advertising and Public Relations Design and Production
■ Graphic design tools and techniques
○ MC 380: Strategic Communication Strategy and Planning
■ Campaign planning from research to evaluation
Key Learning Insights
● To be successful, research about the topic or area you are creating public
relations materials for is vital.
● Following a strict brand guide at times can be difficult and “limit creativity”
but results in cohesive communications throughout an organization.
● You must be willing to advocate for yourself when you do not understand
the directions or instructions for a given project.
Conclusion
● My internship was a wonderful experience overall and an opportunity that
bred creativity and problem-solving skills. Most importantly, it allowed me
to gain a deeper understanding of how public relations techniques and
tools are applied daily within an organization.
● Questions?
●
● If you are interested in possibly applying for the 2018-2019 school year,
please contact me at kloeppnerbrigette@ksu.edu for more information