Getting Work Done and Having Fun: Hillsdale in the Summer
Written by Cal McNellie
Many students work for the College in some capacity during their time at Hillsdale. Each day there are tours to be given, blogs to be crafted, research to be compiled, and phones to be answered. Students make a perfect fit for these roles because they are active members of the College community. Of course, these important jobs still need to be done during the summer months when classes are not in session. For this reason, the College offers many summer internship opportunities.
This past summer, I joined the Hillsdale College Marketing Department as a social media intern. Along with two other interns, I created content, moderated social channels, molded social media strategy, and covered College events. Along with our duties in the digital world, my team was responsible for taking photos at events hosted by the College, organizing websites, and everything in between. I expected an exciting internship and was not let down in the slightest. I cannot think of a day in which I did not learn something new about myself or my colleagues, or learn a new skill.
Summer internships at the College provide students an opportunity to dive in and learn what it takes to work in a certain department. For a summer Admissions intern, that means creating more content for the College’s Instagram page. For a summer Contact Center agent, that means a thorough review of the hiring process and workplace incentives. During my social media internship, I was able to experiment with graphic design tools and research in a way a student during the school year could not.
My team and I had several big tasks to complete. The first was updating and organizing the hillsdale.edu blog. I also promoted the College’s inaugural White and Blue Weekend in May. Tackling these types of projects took hours of work and preparation. This was my favorite part of the experience. I could contribute to projects that extended far beyond the daily tasks of social media management, and I made an impact with my creativity and commitment.
Tackling large projects during a summer internship lends itself naturally to team and collaborative work. This is a great aspect of summer opportunities because students get the chance to meet and develop relationships with students from different corners of the College population. During my summer in the ’Dale, I was on a team with two other students, and we developed excellent chemistry and friendships. We worked on the same projects and used our different strengths to create content we likely wouldn’t have come up with on our own. The work was not always easy, but I knew my teammates would be there to help in whatever way they could.
My afternoons were suddenly free of homework and required readings during the summer months. Time itself moves at a slow, relaxed pace. This was the greatest adjustment for me as I have only ever known the College while class was in session. Thankfully, there were many interns in my exact position, and we quickly formed groups to explore downtown Hillsdale or Baw Beese Lake. Collectively, we slowly began to cherish Hillsdale during these months.
As I look back on my internship, my favorite memories were those when I was able to share a special moment with coworkers who, luckily for me, became something more. During a warm summer evening, our boss invited us to her home to make and eat a fresh pasta dinner. I remember looking around the table as we were laying out the dough, realizing that at that moment, the teammates I worked with everyday had become my friends. Creating something together didn’t feel like work, and our shared laughter filled the room in a way work acquaintances could not. That summer, I was able to dive deeply not only into my work, but also into relationships with people I never would have otherwise encountered. That is the real power of a summer internship at Hillsdale.
Calvin McNellie, ’21, studies finance and politics. He resides in Cleveland, Ohio. A member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and the Hillsdale College football team, Calvin’s interests include politics, fitness, woodworking, and jean shorts. He considers himself extremely blessed to be a student at Hillsdale College and a citizen of the greatest nation in the world.
Published in November 2021