Hometown: Commerce Twp, MI

Major: Senior, French & Marketing

Instagram: @adrienneculley

Internship: Michigan Secretary of State, remote

What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?

I was the Michigan Secretary of State Language Access Intern. I provided French translations for voting eligibility and voting information pages for the SOS website. I also put together a marketing campaign to promote the use of Self-Service Stations by non-English speakers across the state of Michigan. This included preliminary research, meeting with community partners, and putting together a presentation and proposal for the implementation of the campaign across Michigan. I also met weekly with my direct supervisors and other people in the department for networking, advice, and guidance on my projects.

How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?

I obtained this internship after talking to my advisor. The deadline was two days away, so I got my paperwork together quickly including two letters of recommendation, my resume, and a letter of intent, submitted it, and heard back a few days later.

What did your daily routine include?

My daily routine, aside from meetings, was entirely up to me. Usually, I started with some translation work and then moved into some marketing research and work on the campaign.

What was your favorite experience from the internship?

My favorite part of the internship was getting to meet with all the different people from the SOS. Each person had different experiences, success, and knowledge in the industry that contributed to my success in the internship. I loved how personal it was. I also loved that I was able to take everything I was studying and apply it to a real-world setting. I never felt like “just another intern”.

What was your least favorite part of the internship?

Communication on all sides was severely lacking.

What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?

I learned how to advocate for myself and keep myself motivated which can be difficult when everything is on your own time. I also got to really use my marketing and French skills for the first time in a professional setting which was awesome.

What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?

I learned that there is so much more that goes into a marketing campaign than meets the eye. I also learned that no matter how much experience you have, if you find the right supervisors to support you, you will learn that your opinion, and what you have to say matters. I loved the creative aspect of the whole internship. I will seek out more creative endeavors in my future marketing career. I also loved using my French in a professional setting. I will also seek out more opportunities that incorporate my language.

What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?

Stay the course and don’t get discouraged. Trying to get an internship can be frustrating but there is an opportunity out there for you. Make sure you always advocate for what you want and what you need.