Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI
Major and class standing: Sophomore, English + Public & Professional Writing
Instagram: @cwroteit
Where you interned at: MSU RCAH Center for Poetry, East Lansing, MI
What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
Working remotely alongside a team of readers at MSU’s Center for Poetry, I reviewed poetry collection manuscripts for the Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize. For each manuscript, I completed an extensive note form discussing my understanding of the themes, voice, and flow of the piece, as well as a numerical rating. These forms were revisited during biweekly Zoom discussions, in which myself and the other readers met to discuss the manuscripts.
How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
I heard about the internship through a friend in the Slam Poetry Club who had previously interned at the Center. I reached out to them for more details, and went on to message the Center’s email I found online. From there, I set up an interview time and was later granted access to the Teams page and additional resources.
What did your daily routine include?
Log onto the Teams page, access the next manuscript in line, read and review the manuscript, upload my notes form to the corresponding folder in Teams, and log my hours via EBS.msu.edu. The entire routine was done remotely and completely on my own time!
Your favorite experience from the internship?
My favorite experience from the internship so far has been the freedom of this work, both physically and creatively. The internship being online enables me to work at my own pace and in relation to my own schedule as a student, and I have creative liberty in my form sheets to discuss my personal opinions on the manuscript. The community of readers has been accepting and encouraging during our meetings, eager to make sure everyone’s voices are heard & discuss something we are all passionate about!
What was your least favorite part of the internship?
While the remote work is definitely a plus as a busy college student, I do sometimes wish I could be in person a few days out of the month – just to connect with the other readers & provide more structure to my day.
What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
Through this internship, I have learned the importance of reading intentionally. The guidance of the note sheet has been extremely helpful outside of the internship work as well: as I am finding myself more engaged in reading for other classes – keeping a potential discussion in the back of my mind. Additionally, I have built upon my skill of communication through meeting with other readers to clearly explain my thoughts and opinions!
What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
I have learned so much about the importance of not only gathering findings, but being able to communicate those thoughts to an audience/team as well. Communication is a huge part of the world of writing, and affects all pockets of the field. I plan to go into professional writing – working with teams to edit, organize, and publish content to the public. YOU understanding your thoughts is only half the battle…you need to explain it in a way that OTHERS can relate to and understand.
What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?
There are so many opportunities for internships at MSU! Never did I think I would be able to intern for something poetry-related, and I encourage students to take the risk and look to combine work with a hobby. Talk to people in your major, attend university-hosted career events, and don’t be afraid to send that initial email asking for more information. Your involvement on campus matters, and there really is something for everyone if you look!
