Before our interns went back to school this fall, we asked them some reflection questions about their summer’s here at MurphyEpson.
Background:
Joey Hart
Jackson Keister
Mitch Isler
Joey Hart
School: Miami University
Grade: Senior
Major/Minor: Journalism, Economics
Vocational interests: Writing, PR, Copy/Video Editor, Video Production
Hobbies: Fishing, Watching sports, Reading, Podcasts
Ideal job you’d like to have some day: Documentarian
Jackson Keister
School: Wittenberg University
Grade: Junior
Major/Minor: Early Childhood Education and Special Education
Vocational interests: I’ve struggled in school academically and I want to help those who have struggled like myself.
Hobbies: I love to play golf, and hangout with my friends. It’s the best of both worlds when I get to experience both at the same time.
Ideal job you’d like to have some day: I would love to teach first or second grade.
Mitch Isler
School: University of Cincinnati
Grade: Senior
Major(s): Political Science and Economics.
Vocational interests: Public policy development and public sector management.
Hobbies: Playing drums and crafting/building things.
Ideal job you’d like to have some day: One day I’d like to work in a position that gives me the ability to impact public policy for the better. Political advisor to an elected official, non-profit director, or organizer for a political party would all be great positions.
Q: How did you discover MurphyEpson for your summer internship?
Joey: I searched for PR firms in the Columbus area (where I’m from). I wanted to work at a place where I knew I could learn a lot and that was very well integrated in the Central Ohio community, and MurphyEpson fit that bill.
Jackson: I learned about MurphyEpson through my mother and father; the CEO and President of MurphyEpson. Also, I heard many great things about teamME from Wittenberg alum and Account Coordinator Tim Bates.
Mitch: Marie and Mark were my neighbors from the time I was 2 years old until I was 10. We still only live a five-minute walk away, and my brother and I are both good friends with their son, Jackson. I had also previously worked at ME as a PUP Campaign spokesperson.
Q: Describe one or two of your favorite experiences as an intern at MurphyEpson.
Joey: Being able to be a part of a video shoot was a really neat experience, especially because that field interests me. I also loved being able to help plan media campaigns by doing research and participating in meetings.
Jackson: I enjoyed working for my parents and to be able to work alongside Tim Bates and my lifelong friend and fellow Intern Mitch Isler.
Mitch: One of the most memorable experiences that I had this summer at MurphyEpson was the first time I went down to the Short North to see the streetscape construction on High Street. ME is working to make sure stakeholders of that project are kept informed and reasonably happy. Besides learning all about the public relations process that day, I also had the opportunity to see the project manager Mindy Justis calm down two very tense individuals who had different opinions of the construction. I also enjoyed any times that I could work collaboratively or talk with members of the team. Everybody at ME is so easy to get along with and they’re all great at what they do.
Q: What surprised you the most about interning with #teamME?
Joey: How versatile the world of PR really is – communication is a very broad term, and here I was able to see the full gamut of that type of work from writing and graphic design to videography and face-to-face interactions.
Jackson: How different working in an office is compared to working in a school. I figured out that I would rather work in a school than in an office.
Mitch: I was a little bit surprised about how much industry knowledge the team has, though I don’t think I should have been. I expected general public relations and design expertise, and MurphyEpson does have plenty of that. What really makes them competitive, though, is the depth and breadth of knowledge the team has about the industries they work in. People know construction jargon, can easily keep up with technical engineering terms, and everyone keeps up-to-date with new trends in the field.
Q: What advice would you give to potential interns of the future, whether at ME or elsewhere?
Joey: Always be open to trying something that you don’t think you would be interested in. You never know if there is a different focus that fits your skillset or interest. Also, always bring your laptop charger to work!
Jackson: To come into the office with a smile on your face and want to work. I realize that I had a different relationship than my fellow interns being that the CEO is my mom, but I recommend getting to know the other employees that make up #teamME. At first, I only really knew four members of the team but now, I believe I have created friendships with others. This will not be my final time working for team ME, but I am excited to have gained much more of a grasp of what we do.
Mitch: Future interns should try to form relationships with the people they’re working with. It was easy at MurphyEpson, but it really does make all the difference in a job to have an inclusive and fun team environment.
From #teamME we want to extend our sincerest appreciation to these three awesome guys for all of the hard work and effort they put in these past three months. We’re sad to see you go so soon but we know you’ll accomplish great things in your senior and junior years at Miami, Wittenberg and Cincinnati. Thank you Joey, Jackson and Mitch!
