Intern Retrospective: Molly Hollman “Find and seize opportunity”

Applications for the 2019 City of Huntsville intern class are open through March 15, 2019. Apply.

Every day holds the opportunity to learn. My internship with the City of Huntsville was no different.

My experience was limited, and my portfolio included a couple of one-page poems, a few short stories, and many late-night research papers. I was, and still am, ecstatic I earned my spot in the City of Huntsville 2018 Internship class.

New and Exciting View

Press conferences are regular and exciting occurrences in the communication office. Usually, our team arrived a few minutes early to each one. During the news conferences, I learned to use the Twitter Live feature and to turn my phone notifications off when filming a live broadcast. Even though I made mistakes, these hands-on experiences allowed me to see Huntsville’s rapid development through a unique perspective—one that changed my view of the only city I have ever lived.

Social Communication

When I worked with the Huntsville Police Department, I researched hashtags for their recruitment campaign. Having limited experience with this social media tool myself, my exploration lead to the discovery of the usefulness of hashtags. By tagging certain ideas, our police department can use their social media pages to connect with the best and brightest individuals seeking to join Huntsville’s law enforcement. I learned that connecting with citizens and disseminating important information, a vital role for the City of Huntsville, is streamlined through social media.

Writing World

Many of the projects I worked on involved writing. From writing social media posts to newsletters, each piece came with an opportunity for feedback. I appreciated this time to determine what I was doing well and what could be improved. Some of these opportunities included a piece for City Blog and a “Communication Plan” for potential use in the event of a flooding emergency. With these projects in my portfolio, I have the confidence to speak with future employers about my consistent and coherent writing abilities.

Closing Time

I am often asked this question:

“Why did you choose an internship in communication, working with social media?”

My response: communication builds relationships. Without relationships, we cannot fully function. In contemporary context, technology gives us the opportunity to spread information and ideas that contribute to a more positive quality of life. Before this experience, I envisioned making copies and a few coffee runs. On the contrary, every day was built around important areas of personal growth and opportunities to learn.

Molly Hollman (left) and Ashley McCarley prepped two traffic cones for Mayor Battle to present to Governor Kay Ivey at a roads news conference and ribbon cutting.