Grady InternViews: Madison Greer

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to share their summer internship experience.

Briefly describe your internship and your responsibilities.

I am an intern in MSL’s digital innovation center of excellence. My responsibilities include collaborating with the team on influencer pay gap research, writing case studies for consumer clients, contributing to the digital newsletter, and working on a project for a corporate reputation account. I’m also a MAIP (multicultural advertising intern program) fellow this summer, so I attend MAIP labs and work as a public relations specialist for my MAIP project.

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that to be successful, you have to take initiative and be your own advocate. I have learned a lot and gotten new opportunities by not being afraid to speak up and ask questions or reach out to new people.

How will this role guide your future career path?

This role has exposed me to all the different areas of public relations and what I can do with my degree. I’ve learned that I’m interested in strategy, experiential marketing, and influencer marketing, and that I enjoy working on a variety of accounts. This internship has confirmed that I want to start my career at a public relations agency like MSL.

What lessons will you take back with you to the classroom in the fall?

A creative said in a meeting that successful PR campaigns “make the complex simple” and “the ordinary extraordinary.” This stood out to me, and I will take it back to my projects in the classroom as a reminder of what we are trying to accomplish.

What advice would you give to  students who are looking to pursue similar opportunities?

I would say get out of your comfort zone and take big swings with where you apply. If you are able, definitely apply for internships in different cities and take advantage of the Grady summer programs. Once you get in your role, look for people that interest you in the company and ask to put time on their calendar. In my experience, people are always happy to chat with interns.

What has been your favorite part about your internship so far?

My favorite part of this internship has been seeing what agency life is like both in-office and remote. I was surprised by the energy and community in the office as people return to work and how it carries over into online meetings. I’ve been able to work out of the Atlanta and New York offices, so it was fun to compare the two.