Intern Feature: Emily Pierce

For the both fall and spring semesters of the academic year 2015-2016, I have been serving as the Events Director for the student-run radio station at UMass Amherst, WMUA 91.1FM. In this position, I manage a staff of 10 students and coach them in brainstorming and executing events. We work with other on-campus student organizations in bringing events such as concerts and open mic nights to the pioneer valley. I am the first to serve in this position and, as such, have spent time implementing organizational document procedures. I have been writing a standard operating procedures manual for the subsequent years and students that will be in the position.

HOW DID YOU FIND THIS OPPORTUNITY?

I became WMUA’s first Events Director by serving previously as Fund Drive Director in the year prior and as a DJ Trainer two years ago. I rewrote and restructured the role of Fund Drive Director during my term in that position. In addition, I worked with my manager is creating a new division of roles in order to better utilize our budget and cut unnecessary positions. Part of this was creating the role of Events Director. As I excelled in my Fund Drive Director job and assisted in crafting the job of Events Director, I was a top candidate for the position. 

WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE AND WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

In this role I have learned important lessons in delegating tasks, time management, and communication. Managing events is not a one-person job and it has become blatantly important to me how much a team can execute an event far better than just a singular director. It’s easy to fall into the mindset that you know how you like things done and its better to just do them all yourself, but this is impractical. I did not have the aforementioned staff of students working with me last semester and, because of this, was not able to put on nearly half of the events we have this semester. Teams bring different ideas to the table and different skill sets that are important to utilize and beneficial for all.  Along the same lines, it is imperative that you and your team work together in communication as well. I have learned to ask people’s communication style when working with them in order to best know how to reach them. For example: some people thrive over text and some over the phone. In reaching out to my co-directors and student staff and acquiring this knowledge, we have been able to get things done faster and more efficiently. Furthermore, managing how we spend our time is essential. The semesters fly by if you aren’t aware of time management procedures. If I want things to get done and have the most successful events possible, there has to be timeline in place for completing tasks.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER STUDENTS?

For other students looking to intern, I would advise them to go for it, work their hardest, but above all to follow their heart. As a student studying Hospitality and Tourism Management in Isenberg, I have had ample opportunities for hotel operations internships, food and beverage internships, and internships in events at country clubs. While for a vast majority this is their ideal, I have always found a love in other aspects of hospitality and have found myself taking the road less traveled in my path to success. Many students are not even aware of all the amazing ways you can take the Hospitality degree and there are ample untapped markets due to this. So my advice is to try something new! New experiences are what make life rich and the greatest way to learn. You never know where it will lead you.