Whenever someone asks me what I plan to do with my major in strategic and corporate communication and minor in environmental studies, I always tell them that all I really want is to work for a company that strives to better the environment and the beings that inhabit it. That same aspiration also applied to my internship search. I had been looking for months and applied to tons of different internships that I never really cared much about. When I finally saw that The Humane League (THL) was hiring interns, I knew it was where I was meant to work. The Humane League is an animal rights organization that aims to end the abuse of all animals raised for food and inspire the public to make more compassionate food choices.

Reaching out for a pig in capture

My position as a new media intern involved creating content for various social media platforms, connecting with the target audience and influencing them to get involved with THL’s mission, and working to grow THL’s presence on social media. One of the best parts was that the whole internship was remote so I could work throughout the day from wherever I wanted. I love working towards the goal of compassion for all animals through social media because I believe it is the most effective way to reach the greatest amount of people.

Throughout my internship, I got to work with a team of around 20 other interns all with the same mission in mind. One of my favorite things about this internship was working with like-minded individuals and getting to connect with them through a video call every week. It’s always amazing to receive messages about how THL’s work on social media has inspired or influenced someone, and it’s even better to share those success stories with a close-knit team of people.

Working individually but also within a team made me realize the importance of community within a workplace. Especially when first starting the internship, there was always someone to answer my questions or to look to for an example. My internship supervisor also made sure I was always on the right track and would check in regularly. Overall, this internship provided me with a great support system and really taught me more about what a job in the communication field could actually be like after Chapman.

By the end of my internship, I learned how to adopt the voice of an organization on different social media platforms. This was very interesting when I first started because I had never thought about a specific voice as part of creating a brand. Since there are so many other interns drafting posts for social media, a voice is especially important in order for the content to remain consistent with the organization. I learned more about what is necessary for growing a brand and influencing others to perform a behavior. Ultimately, this internship showed me how to apply the theories and systems that I learned in my classes for a real-life mission.