Embrace the Unexpected

Hi! My name is Ben Mattice, and I am a rising senior majoring in Advertising with a concentration in Art Direction at Temple University. This summer, I’ve been working as the Marketing Operations Intern for the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District (BID) in Southwest DC. 

The BID was created in 2007 to develop the Navy Yard area of Washington, DC, from a shrinking industrial sector to a mixed-use residential and business district. Over the years, the area has seen the addition of five major league sports teams in two stadiums, and the US Department of Transportation. The BID manages two parks, spanning over eight acres, which are where we hold events for our 22,000 residents. 

When I first started my internship, I was intimidated by the fast-paced environment and the abilities everyone had in the workplace. At the time, my boss and I were the marketing department, and they were managing everything from events to social media to a brand refresh. They showed me the day-to-day roles of the head of marketing and let me embrace some of their responsibilities.

After the first week, my internship took an unexpected turn, and I was given the opportunity to grow into a larger role. I immediately embraced the challenge and began working with the President of the BID to reimagine the marketing department. I was given a greater range of responsibilities that let me leave my comfort zone and the freedom to try new things. I dove into the processes that no longer worked and helped develop new plans and strategies to strengthen our impact on the community.

Over my time at the BID, I developed a system for event planning and organization, helped with business outreach, edited e-blasts and newsletters, audited and updated the website, managed our social media channels, helped with PR management of numerous negative articles, and helped redesign promotional materials. Looking back, it seemed like I did a lot of work; however, each new opportunity gave me new strength to work towards a better version of the BID and myself, and I’m glad I was able to work on so much.

This challenge allowed me to grow my confidence and find my voice. Though my favorite part was when I failed and found a new perspective to tackle an issue. I’m grateful for the support I had from everyone and the knowledge they shared during this internship. I truly felt as a part of the team and that I was able to create a positive impact not only on the BID but also a small benefit for the community we support and share. This experience is something that I will cherish and gave me confidence that no matter what goals I have in the future, I know I can achieve them. Always embrace the unexpected, because you never know where it might lead.