Words cannot describe how much I have grown in the past four months, but since that is the point of this evaluation, I guess I need to find them. I never thought in the 23 years that I have existed that I would find an occupation I would love, enjoy, care for, and feel enthusiastic about. After a series of unfortunate events—namely, choosing the wrong major and suffering as a result—I have found it, and I can say that it extremely rewarding to know that I am doing something I love. And because I am doing something I love, I believe the work I do benefits as a result. I ultimately believe, therefore, that my performance during this internship can be considered strong, and I can be reassured that I am going into a field that suits me.
I can admit that I was a little unsure of myself when I began this internship, mostly because I had just come out of an experience that made it seem like it was a sin to be an English major. When I worked for the Daily Vidette, it was fairly obvious that my editors were uncomfortable with the fact that I had not taken any reporting classes, and did not seem to have much faith in me as an employee because of that. Drawing from that experience, I went into UMC with a few doubts about my ability to write evocative, accurate, and informative articles; interview subjects to get good quotes; and compile adequate research. But as I developed relationships with the people who work there—namely, Susan, Kate, and Steve—I found that very few differences exist between the Videtters and myself. Because of that realization, I believe I was able to overcome any doubts I had about my ability to perform the duties that were expected of me. The faith and trust my coworkers and superiors had in me also helped me overcome any insecurities I felt about my work.
The relationships I built with the people at UMC were very harmonious, malleable, nurturing, and understanding. UMC had a stronger sense of teamwork and camaraderie than the other places I have worked. If I ever had a question, I did not have to hesitate about knocking on a person’s door so I could answer the question. In any other situation, I would have felt less comfortable about doing this because of the way my colleagues and superiors reacted when I needed to interrupt them. Since I was in an environment where I felt comfortable collaborating with my colleagues and superiors, I think I did a much better job than I would have in an environment that was less communicative, deadline-oriented, and mellifluous.
I flourished as a writer and editor during my time at UMC. Even though I had a background in writing and editing prior to this internship, it was not as solid or complete as it could have been. English 244 and English 254 were an excellent foundation for my internship, mainly because they both guided me through the basics of grammar, editing, communicating with printers, using a style guide to check errors, and finding resources that will help me ensure that the documents I write or edit are accurate, grammatical, and clearly stated. The only thing I wish they could have included was working with different style manuals. Working with the CMS was a wonderful and even enjoyable experience, but I would have liked to get a better taste of other manuals like the American Medical Association Style Guide, the Associated Press Style Guide, or even Illinois State University’s style guide. Despite the fact that hundreds and hundreds of these things exist, I think it would be helpful to take guides that are mainstays in different industries and compare them to one another so students can understand the differences between them. If students learn the differences between the guides and can apply them practically, they will go into their internships with a stronger understanding of what they want to do. Knowing different styles can also give them a competitive advantage over students from other publishing programs. In any event, I thought these two classes helped me segue into my internship better, giving me the ability to perform the work that was expected of me.
As far as my writing is concerned, I think I can owe most of that to my work as a news reporter. As much as I disliked it, working for the Daily Vidette helped me pare down my writing so it could deliver a stronger message to the reader. I learned to ask questions, look for things that would compel and grab readers, and deliver new information that had not already been repeated. I got a stronger sense of this at UMC, but the most helpful thing about my internship was that I had to do all the original research and work—I was not relying on a single article for my information. I had guidelines to work with, but I also had the freedom to create an angle that would communicate effectively to readers. I had to learn how to step outside of myself, look at things objectively, and determine what the main points of the article were. Because of this, I think I really came into my own as a writer, but as always, I know I still need to improve before I can “throw in the towel”.
The best part of this internship was the feedback I got from everyone. Although writing was the primary focus of my internship, I was able to gain some valuable editing experience by editing documents for Susan and Steve. Whenever I had free time away from the articles I was writing, Steve would give me something to edit, proofread, or fact check; and when I was done, he would read it over and give me feedback about the work I had done. By doing this, I could learn where my strong and weak points were as an editor, and I would ultimately strive to overcome those weak points. I have learned many valuable lessons through this experience, and I think there are many more to come.
Although I am still learning, I can really see myself coming into my own as an editor. Working for UMC was probably one of the best decisions I had made, and I wish I could stay, as I have learned so much from these people. Since I was placed in such a positive environment, I think I did a fantastic job. I enjoyed coming to work every day, seeing the same people, and working on something that really mattered to me. Even though many people are pulling their hair out about the fate of the publishing industry, I do not regret a minute of doing something I love, something I’m good at, and something that will be rewarding in the long-run.
