In almost every PRSSA meeting, there seems to be one common tip the speakers give us – Bobcats love helping Bobcats. I kept this in the back of my mind but never thought I would act on it. Then, as I was applying for internships last winter, I was inspired to act on this advice and message a Bobcat alum on LinkedIn.
I was so excited when she messaged me back. Unfortunately, she said she didn’t think her company was taking interns this summer. Fast forward a few months and I have another message from her, saying her team would like to set up an interview if I was still interested. I got the job offer and counted down the days until my start date.
This week is my 4th week at Phi Delta Theta Fraternity as a Communications and Media Relations Intern and I have honestly never been happier.
My weekly duties are split up between working for the Fraternity and the Foundation. I do a lot of content creation for both and am working on a huge campaign for the 175th anniversary. For the Foundation, I am also working on a scholarship plan and a campaign for Phi Delta Theta’s Giving Day. I even got to design stickers that are being printed for a conference in July that will have over 1000 attendees. Every day I have a different project to work on, and it is a super fast paced environment most of the time. I love my role because of how much I’m learning and the amount of hands-on experience I’m gaining.
So far, the best thing about working for Phi Delt has been the culture of the company. My first day included a donut party and going to my favorite Mexican restaurant with my team. My first week was nonstop meetings because everyone wanted to make sure I understood their position and knew I had their support. There was also a philanthropy event during my first week for Lou Gehrig Day, which included a tour of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and watching a game with the whole company after.
I was so nervous to start my first full-time job because I was worried about being overwhelmed, overworked, and underqualified. I was afraid of not having any fun this summer if I was working all-day, everyday. However, this company has taught me that work-life balance is possible, and so is making real connections among your coworkers. I love getting up in the morning and making the commute to the office. I look forward to being greeted by my supervisors and starting on whatever work I have to do that day. Taking the risk to message a former Bobcat and inquire about a position that was not even created yet has proven to be one of my best decisions. I already feel so much more confident about myself and my abilities, and I will always be grateful that Phi Delt welcomed me into the GHQ family.
We love having you on the team, Ellie!