Authored by Vanessa Reyes, UNG Press Intern
I became curious about the internship for the UNG Press, after speaking with a few previous interns about their experiences. It was always the same responses: everyone there is wonderful, I learned so much, and it opens up so many opportunities. At the time, I was taking Intro to Publishing and part of the Chestatee Review staff, so on paper it seemed like a great fit. I had learned how to navigate the publishing industry and the tools of the trade. I was prepared to take the first steps into the workforce. However, I still had questions and doubts looming over my head. Is publishing really for me? How would a publishing job be different from any other office job?
Tuesdays in Dahlonega
From the beginning, I knew I wanted to attend every meeting in person hoping to make the most of my short time with the Press. It was a rewarding decision. I was able to get a closer look into the innerworkings of the Press and their priorities. These meetings also showed me how university presses operate and collaborate with one another. Information was shared freely and questions were encouraged. A big part of my decision to no longer work in retail buying and sales was the competitive nature of the job. People were always competing to give the customer less and less, so to be in an environment where readers treated as a community to foster and grow felt much more rewarding.
Me and the UNG Press
Before my internship, I served as the Community Liaison for the Gainesville campus’s Sigma Tau Delta chapter. The experience showed me how important involvement and outreach is to me. I wasn’t sure how I would be able to explore this, but whenever I expressed this interest to my supervisor, she was always very proactive in finding ways to make that connection. As a result, my project became researching grants for upcoming projects. It was something I had never done before but also contributed to initiatives that I found important. For all future interns, I hope you really think about what you are doing walking into the program and how you would like to grow those skills and values alongside the Press. At first, I was hesitant to share what I wanted to explore in the internship, fearing it would be impossible to accommodate. However, it was only by sharing my goals and experiences that I was able to take the internship in a direction that was much more meaningful to me.
Conclusion
I learned a lot from my experience as an intern. Not only am I leaving with a string of projects to fill my portfolio, but I am also leaving with a deeper understanding of what a career in publishing can look like. In publishing, I can still serve the communities and causes that are important to me. I will always be grateful for this summer with the UNG Press and for the wonderful people I got to meet there.
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