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Living the Dream….Washington,
DC
by Elizabeth Martin
 Over
the past summer, I was lucky enough to get to live and work
in what some may call “the capital of the world,” but
what I just liked to call Washington, D.C.
Two years ago when I was walking the city’s streets
with Dean Charles Bierbauer and nine other students in the
Politics and Media Maymester class, I knew that I had to
get back there somehow. While on the trip, I told Dean Bierbauer
that I wanted to work in the political advertising arena.
He advised me to talk with Robin Roberts, who is a Journalism
School distinguished alumnus and president of National Media
Inc., during a fundraiser at his house in McLean, Va. So
I did. And that’s where it all began.
After a few visits and tons of e-mails, Robin offered me
a summer internship with National Media in the media buying
department. Fortunately for me, I got to help out in all
the departments, including public affairs, production, strategy,
research and even accounting. Who knew I was good with numbers?
Well, I am actually not. They just had me do some filing — typical
intern work!
But my internship was no typical experience. I got to work
on huge ad campaigns for clients including Arnold Schwarzenegger,
XM Satellite Radio, United States Telecom Association and
the American Red Cross. I wrote copy for an ad supporting
XM Satellite Radio in Congress that was actually printed
in “Roll Call” and in “The Hill.” I
even got to participate in the final presentation for the
Ford Motor Co. fund account!
I learned so much during my experience at National Media.
I was able to work beside some of the best business professionals
in their industry. I learned so much about policy in Washington,
about collecting, analyzing and researching data, and about
buying ads in broadcast and in print publications.
Interning is a one of a kind experience — you get
the professional experience in a certain field of study,
you make connections, and you learn about the industry all
at one time. There is only so much you can learn in a classroom,
but being immersed in the field is absolutely the best way
to learn!
One more thing: Robin Roberts quickly became a mentor and
I am so grateful for all he taught me about the profession
and about life. I will close with one statement he made that
has stuck with me to this day. “There are times when
no matter how hard we try, our work cannot effect change.
But at the end of the day you have got to have good strategic
content, and that’s what we have here at National Media.”
Click on the logo to read other internship stories:
Elizabeth Martin is a senior advertising
and political science major from Irmo, S.C. She plans
to graduate in May 2007 and move back to Washington, D.C.
to work.
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