A product of GRPS... I feel right at home.

My internship for this semester is with the Grand Rapids Public Schools District Office (my office is located in the Communications department). Pretty much, our office handles any news reports, broadcasts, media relations, all GRPS events planning, any complaints or suggestions from the Grand Rapids community regarding the schools, and directly works with the superintendent of the Board of Education. I found out about this internship from the GVSU writing website and noticed that previous students have worked here. In addition, I did graduate from a Grand Rapids Public School so I have personal experience and knowledge of the issues and success this district has been and is dealing with.

I have been at the internship for 3 weeks, and I can honestly say that I enjoy it here. It’s very busy and I have to complete projects in a timely manner. I enjoy working with my supervisor because he gives me projects and expects that I know how to do them, and so far, I haven’t showed him otherwise. It was nerve racking at first because I am dealing with important names here in our community; my first task was to call an entire guest list of people to get RSVPs for a meeting hosted by Doug DeVos, Steve Van Andel, and Jim Hackett. I have also written letters to the editors of the Grand Rapids Press who have decided to highlight a negative aspect of GRPS test scores rather than celebrating GRPS success in meeting the AYP standards. Other projects I have worked on consist of designing a newsletter insert for how to protect GRPS from swine flu and update their social networking accounts on Facebook and twitter with new videos and news events.

Since I have been here, I think I have preformed very well. This job is geared towards professional writing so I am a little out of my true interests. However, I have worked in the TRiO Upward Bound office at GVSU and currently work for the VP of Inclusion & Equity so I am really skilled with Excel, making newsletters, and how to approach my supervisor at appropriate times. I like how our system has been thus far. My supervisor tells me what to do very quickly, I take a couple of notes, and then I do it. He looks over it and then tells me if I need to make changes or not. So I really haven’t had to ask a lot of questions. The great thing about this, my supervisor trusts that I will do things right and understands my skill level. He advised that I fill out a job application for a GRPS Communications Technician, even though I would need 3 years experience and a BA in Communications (or related field). He told me I wouldn’t have to worry about all the requirements and the position is not guaranteed, but I must be doing something right for him to even suggest I try. So far so good.