Intern Introduction

So here's my situation! I’m living at my friend Alex’s house near Uptown, and I have to say it’s pretty cool. About to pay rent and utilities together for the first time, so it’s a little nerve wracking, but I’m gonna be able to make it work. Paying for stuff is tougher than you’d think, so a budget’s really important in a situation like this.

I am one of two Summer Scholars at Deveney Communication, a boutique Public Relations firm in the Marigny, right outside of the French Quarter. Deveney is a small firm, but one of the best in the business. They rack up the awards like nobody’s business, and they’ve been ranked in PRWeek’s Top 5 Boutique PR Firms in the U.S. I work with about seven senior associates and four other interns, so we’re a small group, but a great group!

The Summer Scholar program is a paying summer internship that is awarded after a serious, competitive application process that we went through in the spring. We had to fill out an application, which included a sample media audit and PR strategy plan for Louisiana Office of Tourism, one of Deveney’s actual clients (a long list of great ones to come!) and an original work to display our PR skills. My original work was a Public Service Announcement paralleling LOT’s current campaign, “My Louisiana.” The PSA starred Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning. After the initial application, we had to do a lengthy telephone interview, and if we passed through that, we were given a one-hour timed assignment to prove that we were doing our own work and that we could work under pressure.

It was a tough process, but it worked out! One of the perks of being the Summer Scholar at Deveney is living rent-free in a studio apartment right next to the office in the Marigny. Unfortunately for me, the apartment was awarded to the other Summer Scholar, who just graduated from Arkansas State University. But I was extremely lucky when Deveney offered me another paid position, making me a second Summer Scholar. This is the first time they’ve had two Summer Scholars. It’s a great distinction to have, and I’m still psyched about it. This is also the second consecutive year the Manship School of Mass Communication has had one of its students serve as the Deveney Summer Scholar, with Kelli Eason doing so last summer.Back to Deveney though. We have an A-list team of practicioners working on an A-list of clients, including:

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House (all corporate locations worldwide)
• Louisiana Office of Tourism
• LSU Health Care Services Division
• Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
• New Orleans Museum of Art
• Audubon Institute
• Planet Beach
• Starbucks
• Touro Infirmary

It’s a really great group of clients, and there’s others. I am assigned to the Ruth’s Chris and Starbucks accounts, and I’ve done work for Audubon, LSU, NOMA, Ralph Brennan and Touro already as well. We’re not just confined to one client or one duty: we all do everything. Coverage reports, event planning, writing, pitch calls, concept development, it’s all happening! My favorite stuff is the brainstorming, when you get the creative juices flowing. And now, someone is actually depending on your ability and using your work! It’s a great feeling having something you’ve done get used.

Anyways, that’s just a basic rundown of what goes on. I’ll be giving more details soon on some projects I’ve already worked on, and hopefully nothing too eventful happens so I can start to catch up!