My Experiences

By Michael Mustradi

Albert Einstein once said, “The only source of knowledge is experience.”  Throughout my experiences, I have learned so many lessons and valuable ideas that have shaped me to become who I am today.  Three internships have showed me that learning in the classroom is essential, but it is entirely different to personally experience it.  

My three internships have provided me not only with excellent experience, but they gave me a variety of experiences.  My first true PR experience at Business Solutions Group gave me a taste of what my career may look like.  The owner, Dan, was an ambitious man with a brain full of ideas.  On my first day he said to me, “I will not be giving you much direction so it is up to you to make things happen.”  Since this was my first internship in the field, his words startled me a little.  However, I listened.  I took the initiative to edit the company’s website, fixing grammar mistakes and providing its publics with an even-toned voice.  Later into the internship, as my confidence grew, I worked on the beginnings of a non-profit benefit dinner for Worldwide Impact Now; a non-profit that Dan was thoroughly involved with.

Once my internship with BSG had come to an end and I was back on Purdue’s campus for the 2011 fall semester, I was hungry for more experience.  I wanted to build upon what I had started while at BSG.  This is when I obtained an account associate position with Boiler Communication.  This student-ran PR firm was my best experience yet.  Working with a team, I managed the PR for Operation Christmas Child’s Purdue branch.  I had freedom to do what I thought was best for our client.  Obtaining donations, pitching PSAs, advertising, and administering social media was what I was doing in order to make our event, “Operation Ship a Smile” a success.

While many of my classmates were planning on taking a break during their last semester of college, I was about to take on the most challenging internship I had yet.  I obtained an internship with Purdue’s Liberal Arts Career Development office, working with a team of interns to put together “Career Week”.  This week involved 16 events in a four day stretch.  As donation coordinator, I managed over $2,500 in donations to give away as prizes to students who attend our events.  I am also currently utilizing my editing skills and editing the student career handbook.

During these experiences I have learned many different PR tactics and strategies.  However, I believe that it is not the most valuable things that I have learned.  I have shown that I have been able to take what is given to me and adapt to the situation.