My Internship Experience: Philadelphia Virtual Academy

Hi everyone! I’m Melissa, and I interned at Philadelphia Virtual Academy (PVA) this semester, which is an online school offered to students in the School District of Philadelphia. It’s an alternative for kids whether they struggle from anxiety, bullying, or have trouble focusing in a traditional school setting. As the marketing intern, I learned how social media helps to create a sense of community for a school where the kids don’t necessarily know each other, and keeps them abreast of what’s going on within the school. Plus, it helps students get involved in the different activities that PVA offers. There are field trips, clubs, and tutoring sessions that are conveyed to students through the school blog, Facebook, and Twitter, all to which I contributed. 

I did not work directly under a marketing supervisor, which had its pros and cons. I enjoyed that my boss gave me free reign when it came to the kinds of posts I could make, but that also meant I was responsible for coming up with my own marketing plan. Overall, my boss allowed me to be creative and learn through trial and error, which I really appreciate. The team at PVA has been great, and I’m thankful for their help in creating social media posts.  

If you’re hesitant to take a less traditional internship because you aren’t sure if the experience will be valuable, don’t be. Every internship will leave you with something that will have made your time there worthwhile. A lot of internship experiences will become relevant at some point in your career, even if they have little to do with your major.  I say take any opportunity that comes your way, because you’ll never know what knowledge will come from it!