Like many, I came to college unsure about “what I want to be when I grow up.” It was daunting trying to decide what I wanted to do, while figuring out who I wanted to be. I came in as an education major, and after my first semester, I knew it was not for me, but what was?

After much consideration, many breakdowns to my family, friends, and roommate, I decided to take a marketing class and give it a try. I loved it! It was all so different from my education classes, and it just felt right to me.

I am now a marketing and communication double major, and I have never looked back. I have been very busy the last two years trying to build my resume, gain as many skills as I can in my field, and make as many connections as possible.

This summer, I have had the privilege of securing my third internship, this time as a social media intern for Beechmont Automotive Group in Cincinnati, Ohio. I ran the Instagram and Facebook accounts for seven dealerships in the Cincinnati area: Maserati of Cincinnati, Audi Cincinnati East, Porsche of the Village, Alfa Romeo of Cincinnati, Beechmont Toyota, Honda East, and Volvo Cincinnati East.

Last summer, I was a marketing intern for Headsweats in Cincinnati, a high-performance hat company. That was a really neat experience because the offices are connected to the warehouse, so I got to see the whole process. I was able to help with a lot of other jobs that were not specifically marketing, which allowed me to get a better understanding of the company.

During the school year, I am a marketing intern for GKS Lifting and Moving Solutions in Springfield, a company that provides heavy duty dollies, jacks, and pumps. I have been working on making more of a social media presence for the company and trying to utilize LinkedIn more. I post on the company’s LinkedIn account and edit videos for its YouTube channel.

If you had asked me three years ago where I expected to be, the last place I would have picked would be where I am, but I am loving every second of these experiences.

I want to offer some advice to those of you who are unsure “what you want to be when you grow up.”

First, do not be afraid of change. It is okay to not like something, and it is okay to change your mind. You never know where it will take you, but at least you can say you tried.

Second, be open-minded. You never know where you will end up and who could be your boss someday. So, be willing to take internships in fields you may never have expected to be in some day. You never know what you will learn, or who you will meet.

Third, don’t give up. It can be easy to say you don’t have time for an internship or can’t make an internship fit into your schedule. But I promise that in the end, you will be so thankful you did it. Junior year was my hardest year yet academically, but I managed to work two jobs and have an internship. There were many days I was exhausted and just did not feel like doing anything, but I never gave up.

Finally, be resourceful. Getting an internship can be very difficult, but you have to learn to be resourceful. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, make one. Connect with Wittenberg alumni. Ask family and friends if they know anyone who needs an intern. Send emails to people asking for some of their time, follow up, and write thank-you notes to people for their time. This can be a great way to network with others, help build your resume, and help you discover what you do and do not want to do.

I am so thankful for all the experiences I have gained at Wittenberg and especially through my internships. I am looking forward to my senior year and to continuing my internship for another semester with GKS Lifting and Moving Solutions. I am hopeful that all my internship experience and involvement will give me the edge I need when applying for jobs, but I will also take my own advice and see where I end up.

Emma Byrd ’19
Majors: Marketing and Communication
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio