Virtual Internships

By: Ashley Paterra and Shannon Larkin, summer interns at Pascale Communications, LLC.

Interning in a virtual public relations agency is a unique opportunity and one that we seized with open arms. While the set-up of a virtual work environment may prove challenging for some, we have found it is a perfect match for us. As first-time interns at Pascale Communications, we have found that there are many benefits of working with a virtual PR firm. This internship has taught us to work independently, define project parameters before commencing on an assignment and to think more creatively.

The means of working virtually differentiate from that of the day-to-day work at an office. Having the ability to work from our home office, while convenient, also allows us to learn in a relaxed, familiar environment. We arrange for occasional in-person meetings with our co-workers to catch up on our progress and talk about upcoming projects. Our day starts just as any other PR professional. We check our e-mails, confirm assignments with our co-workers online, dive into our tasks and meet our deadlines. So far, we gained experience confirming media lists, researching medical conferences, writing pitches and even a few bylines. Each day we are given tasks that help us further understand the “nuts and bolts” of a healthcare PR campaign. We are gaining valuable experience that could not be taught in the classroom.

When compared to some of the internships we hear from our fellow classmates, we find that being a virtual intern has challenged us in a very good way. We take the time to work independently and seek out the guidance of our co-workers when we reach a hurdle. This process has taught us to be better problem solvers and also allowed us to be creative with our projects. The team at Pascale Communications truly supports our development, challenging us to come to a solution on our own. After interning virtually with Pascale Communications, we both agree that we learn more in a private, relaxed environment and have a bigger advantage over those who intern in an office setting. The experience we have gained this summer will carry us into our professional careers.