Short Summary: The Digital Media Engagement (DME) internship is perfect for students. The following reasons give insight into the various reasons why.
Internships for students can sometimes be hard to come by. They can also be strict about the types of students who can apply to them or what interns can do during their work hours. The Digital Media Engagement (DME) internship is, therefore, a perfect fit for students in its flexibility and varied offerings. Here are six reasons why students should join the team!
- It’s Flexible
Many internships require in-person participation and a specific set of hours to get tasks done by. The DME is a virtual internship and can be made to fit within a busy student’s life. You get to decide when to work and how much work to do. All that is asked is that interns get a specific number of hours done each week. For the busy college or graduate student, flexibility is also very welcomed.
- You Learn How to Work with Others
The DME internship is a great way to learn how to collaborate with others. In the writing department, for example, writers must work with graphic designers, editors and fact-checkers. Interns also receive feedback on their work from intern leadership like Division Officers (DOs), Departments Heads (DHs) and the Executive Leadership Team (ELTs). Understanding how to act as a team is an important skill in the work world as well.
- Advice for Careers and School
On Slack (the main route of communication for the DME), we have channels for #study_hall and #federal_employment. On the former, students can ask for advice on classwork or discuss transitioning from college to graduate work. On the latter, interns post their LinkedIn profiles to gain connections and recommendations for skills or review resumes to improve presentation. Sometimes government job opportunities are also posted.
- Many Opportunities for Different Tasks
One of the many benefits of working with the DME is that the work always varies. Researchers, for example, can interview people for Operation Song in Special Projects, while a social media intern can join the podcasting team and learn about promoting. If a writer wants to explore new projects, they can work on Vet Resources for the Veterans Affairs (VA) newsletter, create A Veteran’s Story (AVS) for Special Projects or interview a fellow intern for the DME Interns blog. The #moonlighting channel on Slack also advertises tasks available to interns, which are not limited to specific departments.
- There’s Always Something New Going On
When I started as an intern in August 2019, certain sections, such as the Intern Podcast or External Affairs, had not been formed yet. Now we have those two departments and many others. They are offering new opportunities to expand work, such as working with Veterans groups or documenting their experiences with the team. Each year, the internship grows bigger, and with that growth comes new projects and prospects.
- Your Work Gets Noticed
About 3 million subscribers view the VA newsletter and thousands of people look at the VA blog VAntage Point each day. Many others read via the social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram as well. We’ve had Veterans we’ve written about reach out to thank us for the work we do on the blog, showing that people see and like what we do. Each intern gets a chance to have their work shown or used by the public.
Joining the DME team is a fun and worthwhile experience for students. Please consider applying for the summer or academic year today!
Writer: Sarah Concepcion
Editors: Katie Wang and Brooke Wolfenbarger
Graphic Designer: Mohogany Bridges
