PUBR

Company: Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce
Location: 99 Commerce Park Dr.
Westerville 43081 (1 mile of uptown Westerville)
Title: Event Planning Intern
Internship: Spring Quarter
Unpaid
Min. 15 hours/week
Maximum 32 hours
Will accept requirements needed to set up experience for student to receive internship credit
Primary event/Project: Working with the Chamber President to plan the Election Academy Program to be held in May and June 2011.
History: This is a program designed by the Chamber of Commerce President 10 years ago with the goal of encouraging people to run for elected positions (City Council and School Board - and even state positions) as well as encouragement for citizens to serve on campaigns in support of candidates.
The program is offered every other year. Typically has been three consecutive evenings, 2 1/2 hours each session. The last session has included a min-graduation and networking experience with local elected officials.
Responsibilities: Will include but not limited to selecting speakers, identifying key community groups to invite, work through a contact chain to schedule speakers - Secretary of State, Directory of the Ethics Commission, and identifying who would be the graduation speaker and then contact that person. (Past graduation speakers were: John Kasich-as past US Congressman, Past State Rep. Jon Peterson, and JoAnn Davidson - as past Speaker of the House.) Additional responsibilities would be to develop the promotional brochure and letters of invite, thank you letters as follow-up to each speaker, media releases promoting the program, and attending the sessions with the President/CEO is the student chooses and is available.
Learning opportunities in addition to the specific project include: being part of and experiencing how a small office runs, attend and observe a Board of Trustee meeting, and gaining experience working with volunteers from our Government Relations Committee. This could provide exposure for a student to compare working environments and reporting structures in a non-profit business setting compared to a for profit business experience. (if the student is exploring both sectors)
Much of this work would be great samples of work for the student to include in their portfolio.
If the student expands experience to 28-32 hours/week the internship would include:
Assisting in the coordination of the Community's largest outdoor event; Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music & Arts Festival. The student would gain experience working with excel spreadsheets, writing media releases promoting individual exhibitors and the entire festival, telephone skills contacting past volunteers to invite them to volunteer this year, volunteer management, as well as working side-by-side with the Chamber's Event Coordinator.
Contact: Janet Tressler-Davis (Note of introduction, interest in the position, attached resume)
jdavis@westervillechamber.com