McKenna Cameron, Class of 2021 | Major in Marketing, Minor in Leadership of Organizations
Throughout my college experience I have always had an interest in communications, advertising, and public relations. While I started figuring out my career path, I realized the Broad Business College was the best fit for me – but had a desire to gain experience in other areas of advertising and PR as well. After my sophomore year at Michigan State, I interned at an advertising agency Brogan and Partners in Birmingham, Mich. Through this opportunity, I met Roger Martin from Martin Waymire and was very intrigued at the idea of working at a public relations firm in Lansing that had a similar company culture to Brogan.
Then, we were all thrown for a loop with the COVID-19 pandemic flipping our world upside-down into the virtual workspace. I interviewed for Martin Waymire online, with hopes that my student practitioner internship would be in person. Although my entire internship experience ended up being virtual – I still managed to create relationships with amazing coworkers and learn about the public relations profession. Every single person at Martin Waymire made my internship experience so valuable and taught me a plethora of knowledge throughout my time at the company.
I had the ability to sit in on client issue advocacy meetings, create social media content calendars and content and graphics for a variety of clients, and build relationships with the accounts I have worked with this entire year (even on zoom). The staff at Martin Waymire trusted my judgment, which provided vital real-world experience. Their focus on making my experience valuable and aligning my interests with my work was one of the best opportunities that I’ve ever had.
My mentors and colleagues made my time at MW incredible, even while working virtually. We had the ability to engage in socially distanced activities that allowed me to connect with the staff and build deep friendships along the way. Our weekly Level 10 meetings were on zoom, but we still shared our personal and professional celebrations to keep others updated on our life. Their ability to overcome adversity and adapt to the virtual space was so helpful, and everyone was very understanding and proactive of the challenges we encountered along the way. We still managed to become closer as a team through virtual happy hours, and outdoor socially distanced gatherings to keep ourselves and our families safe.
Throughout the process of learning and growing within the PR space, I knew that anyone on the team would be more than willing to help along the way. Something unique about this company is that they all support and love one another so much, which made me comfortable to ask questions to further my professional growth. I’m not only leaving Martin Waymire with additional knowledge, but also with professional and personal relationships that will last a lifetime.
Although I am now graduating and going into the field of consumer marketing, this internship changed my outlook and made me realize the importance of making a difference. Everyone at Martin Waymire has a passion for their clients, and that is reflected in the work they do every day.
During my interview, Angela Minicuci said something that really stuck with me, “make sure what you’re doing professionally aligns with your personal goals and values.” I think that was some of the best advice I’ve received and will always keep that in the forefront of my career for years to come. I’m so appreciative to have learned from such an intelligent, admirable team, and look forward to seeing the work they do in the future.
