Intern of the Week: Jaina Peveto

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 18:07:06 -0500
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Name: Jaina Peveto

Pronouns: she/her

Semester of Internship: UMBC Magazine- Fall 2023, Career Center- Summer 2023 to present

Major: English (communications and technology track), Media and Communications

Current Class Level: Senior

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): UMBC

Location of the Organization (City, State): Catonsville, Maryland

Title of position: UMBC Magazine Editorial Intern and Career Center Social Media Intern

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:
I had a few different responsibilities for the UMBC Magazine. I wrote a few stories for it and went through the steps that make up that process, including researching, interviewing, writing a first draft, and revising based on feedback. I also helped upload stories to the UMBC website. Another one of my main focuses was the ""Class Notes"" section of the magazine, which includes shorter updates on UMBC alumni. I helped condense and edit down information for the fall magazine's Class Notes, and I took part in a photoshoot for one of the stories in the magazine.

For the Career Center, my main responsibility is posting on Instagram, LinkedIn, and occasionally myUMBC. I post a variety of content, both made by myself and made by others. When our graphic designers provide a graphic, I often write the caption. I also create some graphics and posts myself—specifically the What's Happening This Week, Intern of the Week, and Career Tip Tuesday series. I also sometimes record videos or take pictures, including small interviews with individuals on campus and events hosted by the Career Center. In addition, I help choose each week's Intern of the Week, so if you're interested in being featured, fill out the form at the bottom of the page!

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
While in the process of looking for a summer internship, I ran into a former professor on the elevator. I had mentioned my internship to her previously, so she told me about the UMBC Magazine and offered to put me in touch. The magazine already had a summer intern, but I was told I would be kept in mind for the fall.

I still wanted a summer internship, and I had to attend networking events for MCS 144: Professional Communication and Development, so I attended the Career Center Boutique Fair for the Arts. I was encouraged to apply for the social media internship, so I submitted my application through Handshake. After that, I interviewed for the position.

Over the summer, after I had started working for the Career Center, I heard back about the magazine and was offered the internship for the fall. I spent a couple weeks considering my workload, and I ultimately decided to take the second internship.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?
UMBC Career Center, Networking events (UMBC Connects, Info Sessions, Arts With a Purpose, etc.), Faculty Connections, Handshake

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?
I've loved having the opportunity to be creative. Neither journalism or social media were careers that I had heavily considered prior to coming to UMBC, and now I can see myself wanting to continue with either. Coming up with ideas for posts and designing graphics for the Career Center can be fun, and seeing my name in print in the magazine was really rewarding.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
The Class Notes section is one of the most important sections of the magazine to a lot of people, because it helps alumni share what they have been up to and see what their former classmates have been doing. I also wrote the "Then & Now" story for the previous issue of the magazine, and I think that's an important section because it helps current or recent students connect with UMBC's traditions and history. It was neat to play a role in reaching out to different parts of the UMBC community.

The Career Center is such a great resource for students and alumni, and I know that social media plays a large role in bringing the Career Center and its events to people's attention. I hope I've been able to make an impact through posting things that encourage people to take advantage of their access to the Career Center and its resources. I also think that Intern of the Week in particular makes an impact for similar reasons to why Class Notes make an impact in the UMBC Magazine—it allows students to see themselves, share their accomplishments, and celebrate their friends.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Don't be afraid to try things. Apply to what excites you, even if you don't think you'll get it. The worst you can get is a no, and you might get surprised and receive a yes. Know your limits, of course, but a lot of the time it can't hurt to say yes to something and see where it takes you. And take advantage of the resources you have at UMBC! There are so many people on campus who want to see students succeed, both at the Career Center and in your classes. Our time as students can pass so quickly, and it's important to take advantage of those resources while you have easy access to them.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.
I've really enjoyed the connections I've made. I've had wonderful experiences getting to know both of my bosses as well as the other staff, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn from them. The support I've received has helped my confidence and created an enjoyable environment to work in. The Career Center helped me even before I started working here; I had my resume reviewed when I was searching for an internship, and that really helped my understanding of how to improve it.

Do you want the chance to be the next Intern of the Week? Fill out this form to be considered!