Job & Internship

August 2008 Internship Spotlight

Name: Joel Seiberling
Major: Advertising
Company: Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, IA

Duties: Few interns can say they don't answer a million phone calls, and I am no exception. However, I also get to do a lot of design work. I'm very interested in the visual side of advertising, and the Iowa State Fair has given me plenty of opportunities to create new material. I've made posters, banners and even a wine label for the new Iowa State Fair wine courtesy of Jasper Winery. I've also had an ad published for one of our grandstand performances. I do my fair share of grunt work around the office (no pun intended), but it all pays off.

Most Memorable Experience: My most memorable experience has to be throwing out the first pitch at an I-Cubs game. I was there to promote the upcoming Fair, and I also got to shoot the t-shirt gun and throw out peanuts to adoring fans. It was amazing — truly an example of all of what an Iowa summer is about. Oh yeah... I was dressed up as a giant blue ribbon.

Special Contribution: Being a part of Iowa's largest tourism event is definitely a valuable experience. Putting that line on my resume is worth all the hotline phone calls in the world. Correction, MOST of the phone calls... but I digress. After creating so many different visual communications and providing months worth of customer service, there's no better pay off than watching over a million people come and enjoy what I've worked hard for all summer long.

Advice to Future Interns: Network like there is no tomorrow. It's too easy to sit at your desk and blend in which will get you nowhere. If you are working with new people, be the first one to extend your hand and introduce yourself (without being obnoxious, of course). Chances are you'll run into them again somewhere, and it just might be when you're at an interview for a job.

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