It wasn’t part of her major, but it was a major part of her interest in media arts — by the time she was a sophomore in the program at Boise State, Olivia Campbell knew she wanted to explore video editing and production as part of her college career. Olivia had chosen to take elective courses specifically in video editing and production and loved it. She wanted to work in public relations after college; video editing would further her understanding of marketing, and add a unique skill that could be a great resume builder.
To get experience early in college, she decided to apply for an internship through Boise State’s Work U program. From a list of over 130 professional opportunities, Olivia selected her top 3 program choices and Work U staff placed her into a media internship with The GO! Agency, a marketing company here in the Treasure Valley.
Many college students like Olivia love the Work U program for its diverse set of opportunities, (both on and off campus) which help students get the extra experience they need on their resume to find a job after graduation. The in-class portion of Work U teaches invaluable skills in resume writing and networking. Career advisors who teach these classes can provide tips for students to network and keep up relationships with their Work U mentors.
Olivia saw this internship with The GO! Agency as the perfect opportunity to explore everything she was interested in with her major and the video editing skills she hoped to hone. Working under the media director, Olivia edited promotional videos, worked in social media, and helped with communications and outreach to the Boise community and company clients.
During her time with The GO! Agency, Olivia created a promotional video to advertise a taco festival in Jerome, Idaho. “Seeing the product of my hard work in the number of people who attended was really rewarding.” She felt like a valuable asset to the company. This internship cemented Olivia’s interest in public relations and has since helped her earn other opportunities in outreach and digital media creation.
Olivia has gone on to get a digital media internship with Girls on the Run, a nonprofit designed to build young girls’ confidence and teach them healthy habits. She ran their social media, using her skills acquired from The GO! Agency in video editing, and was able to use the internship for college credit.
Currently, Olivia is a resident advisor at Boise State and works as the public relations chair for her sorority. She says that her experience through the Work U program undoubtedly helped her secure her positions with Girls on the Run and her sorority.
Through implementing the networking skills earned in her Work U class, she has retained her relationship with her Work U mentor and is now considering working for The GO! Agency after graduation. She hopes others will consider being introduced to similar professional avenues as she’s had the opportunity to. It truly has been a key experience in getting her where she wants to be, professionally.