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| “There are so many things that I have learned during this internship. This program is truly about growing professionally and developing new skills for a future career.” |
| Katie Ryan, 2009 Los Angeles RPAC |
| “This is a wonderful program that really gets a person ready for a career in public relations. It places you in a standard work setting, but also gives you the support of 25 other interns in the same position as you, so an entire national network of MDA offices are helping you achieve what you never thought you could.” |
| Lindsey Elpey, 2009 NYC RPAC |
| “This was such an amazing experience. I came out of this internship much smarter and with a much larger portfolio. I worked with people that I believe will be friends for life and I truly got a better understanding of public relations and what I want my career to be AND I had a blast doing it! I hope that MDA continues to give this amazing experience to young PR professionals.” |
| Sarah Spicuzza, 2009 Columbus RPAC |
| “If Jesus sat down one day and created an internship so special that it would be fit for Christ himself, this would be it. Not only are you getting real world experience, but the cause you become part of is remarkable. This has been the most amazing summer of my life and I have MDA to thank for that.” |
| Abbey McLaughlin, 2009 Dallas RPAC |
| The RPAC program is, in my opinion, the best public relations internship you could have. Not only is everything you learn in school put into action, but you gain so many more professional skills that you could never learn in a classroom. RPACs are definitely not typical ‘interns’ who get coffee and run prints, you have an important role publicizing the Association and it is a great way to get real world experience… plus, it's FUN!” |
| Kristina McDonald, 2009 Denver RPAC |
| “I appreciated the independence of the internship. I was given a task and was left to complete that task in whatever way I felt fit, using whatever passion and talents I had. I was never too closely regulated, but help was never far away. The program was less of an internship than it was a job. I was part of the team and was never treated like a ‘lowly’ intern. For that, I would say the program is amazing.” |
| Jake Marsh, 2008 Kansas City RPAC |
| “As cliché as it might sound to anyone that has yet to experience it, this internship has completely changed my life. As an RPAC, I was responsible for representing the Muscular Dystrophy Association to the public in an entire region of the country. … Perhaps most importantly, I was given the opportunity to focus my creativity and passion into a number of projects that I hope will last for years to come.” |
| David Siewers, 2008 Boston RPAC |
| “This summer as an RPAC has been the best and hardest experience and I appreciate every bit of it.” |
| Kelly Copeland, 2008 San Francisco RPAC |
| “MDA’s internship program offers a lot of independence allowing for personal creativity to be applied throughout the summer. If that independence is used wisely great things will happen. … “I feel I gained great hands-on experience dealing with members of the media and sharpened my skills in writing media documents. I know the skills I gained with MDA will help me throughout school and later in life as I begin a career in the PR industry.” |
| Michelle Martin, 2008 San Antonio RPAC |
| “Any PR hopeful would be so lucky to have this position (RPAC). I didn’t make coffee or do the filing. I was a part of the office, continuously working on a wide-range of various projects. … This internship is such a rarity: a paid position that allows you to choose which city you want to be in and do work actually related to your field of interest. I think MDA will continue to find outstanding RPACs because of the caliber of the internship program and the respect given to the participants.” |
| Annie Schultheis, 2008 Pittsburgh RPAC |
| “Within the first hour of walking through the door to the Philadelphia Regional Office, I could see that this internship would not just prepare me for the “real job world,” it places you into the real PR world within the very first day on the job.” |
| Kirsten Hosack, 2008 Philadelphia RPAC |
| “I honestly don’t think I would have been able to get a job in media relations/public relations before this internship. I have learned so many valuable media relations skills and established so many contacts.” |
| Victoria Williams, 2008 Dallas RPAC |
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"My summer as an RPAC enabled me to discover that public relations really is the field for me! There was never a dull moment, as I was always busy publicizing local events, securing proclamations or promoting the Telethon. Coordinating all of the press materials for four district offices allowed me to enhance my media relations skills and learn a lot about working both quickly and efficiently. I very much enjoyed the variety of events I was able to work on this summer, and I believe that this internship will be a great background for the real world." |
| Laura Woods, 2007 Tampa RPAC |
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"I am so grateful for the MDA RPAC program. In just a couple of weeks I have met with reporters, pitched stories to editors and created promotions with business leaders. This program is truly a crash course in Media 101. I have never really worked with the media before, but I now have first-hand understanding of how the media really works. Above all else, I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside MDA in such a valiant cause. I have seen kids at summer camp who just can’t stop smiling. I have heard parents’ testimonials of how they think their family would not be able to function without MDA. I have seen employees who look forward to fundraising events with great anticipation. This really is a program that allows interns to gain the experience that will help them succeed in the job market." |
| Cameron Salony, 2007 Salt Lake City RPAC |
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"The Phoenix MDA RPAC position is perfect for anyone looking for an independent internship ... independent meaning that you will basically be running your own PR Firm, and MDA is your only client. The success of the position is determinant upon the RPAC’s motivation and envisioned capacity of the placement. Publicity options are limitless in this particular region, so creative, persistent and confident applicants are guaranteed to excel." |
| Meigan Stack, 2007 Phoenix RPAC |
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"There are a myriad of positive aspects of interning at the MDA. Most importantly it is a great cause, and knowing personally what it is like to have a loved one affected by one of the 40 neuromuscular diseases that MDA covers, it is reassuring to know that you are actually making a difference. Beyond the personal connection for me, I feel that the real-world experience that you gain on a daily basis coupled with the comfortable and welcoming environment is all that you can ask for in an internship. Not to mention it’s paid and so much fun!" |
| Nicole Young, 2007 Chicago RPAC |
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"To anyone who is thinking about applying to be an RPAC: Do it! The program differs from office to office, but for me it provided a great combination of working to gain media coverage and trying to secure promotional time and space. Although I learned a lot about nonprofits – a sector in which I want to work – I also think that the internship builds skills applicable to all sorts of other careers." |
| Dana Strongin, 2007 Denver RPAC |
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"I don't think I could have asked for a better public relations internship. There are so few internships out there of this caliber in PR; I truly applaud MDA for its efforts here. It feels like an immersion-type program, and I feel like I've learned more here by doing than I have or ever will in my public relations classes." |
| Jessica Pollack, 2006 Portland RPAC |
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"The internship allowed me to use what I learned in the classroom and build an impressive portfolio." |
| Percy Brown, 2006 Miami RPAC |
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"I think anyone who is interested in public relations as a career would definitely benefit from the RPAC program" |
| Emily Cipriano, 2006 Detroit RPAC |
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"This internship was a great opportunity in regards to public relations. Through this opportunity, I was able to freshen up my PR skills and fine tune all the skills I have learned in college. I enjoyed the real world experience and would recommend this position to others; this has been a rewarding experience. I would love to continue working for MDA." |
| Laura Henry, 2006 Denver RPAC |
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"This has been a great experience for me. I am more confident about my job search now that I can put the MDA internship on my résumé. Thanks for this great opportunity!" |
| Lindsay O’Rourke, 2006 Indianapolis RPAC |
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"Having genuine responsibilities for coordinating media promotions with MDA allowed me to truly see first hand the challenges and rewards in PR. Being independent in my efforts and permitted to learn things for myself provided a better education than any classroom situation could." |
| Alecia Warren, 2005 Denver RPAC |
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"As a recent graduate, I wanted to do this because I felt that I needed more internship experience before I applied for my first job in PR; I really feel that this experience provided me just that." |
| Lauren Stilwell, 2004 Portland RPAC |
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"I learned more in these few weeks than I did in four years of college." |
| Stacey Murray, 2004 Kansas City RPAC |
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"It’s a great feeling to leave an internship with successful, hard copies of work completed. I can’t wait to show off my work at upcoming interviews." |
| Julie Gribar, 2003 Pittsburgh RPAC |
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"By opening up the doors of MDA for me, you have given me so much opportunity to grow. This summer was hard but so much fun." |
| Amy Sanghavi, 2002 Austin RPAC |
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"I think about 90% of the stuff I do now is similar to things I did at the MDA, and only about 10% are things I got from school." |
| Matthew Mortellaro, 2001 San Francisco RPAC |
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