By Mallory Behrens, Social Media Intern
Women empowerment is the main focus of my blog, Speak Up, You Matter. Females are so strong and so powerful, the sky’s the limit for them. As a young professional woman, I realize how important it is to inspire others to speak up. The reason I am so passionate about this topic is because I am learning from strong women everyday. With that being said, I am an intern with the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. This business is run by five very dynamic ladies.
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber consists of five brainy women. Katherine Harrington is the President and CEO of the WDM Chamber. Kara Matheson is the Director of Workforce Development. Next is Nicole Langmaid, she is the Accounting and Administrative Specialist. Baillee Furst is the Events and Marketing Communications Manager. Last but not least Anna Doud, Anna is the Director of Memberships and Strategic Partnerships. These five women are so fascinating, it blows my mind that only four of the five ladies have worked at the business for more than a year. Katherine, Nicole, Baillee, and Anna all started working for the chamber in April. Wow! Looking in from the outside, you would think that they have been doing their job for years.
What This Means for Me
I am a senior at the University of Northern Iowa this fall. I will graduate in May with a degree in Business Marketing and Supply Chain Management. I love taking classes to further expand my knowledge, but real world experience is crucial. Learning from women who make what they do look natural, is so inspiring. It makes me realize how lucky I am to be an intern for them. When I got offered the internship role this past July, I was so ecstatic to be part of this great organization and to learn so many new things. My expectations were exceeded, as I have gained so much knowledge about the in and outs marketing and social media. I look forward to doing projects, and going to meetings for the chamber. Not many people can say that about their job or internship, but I am so grateful that I can.
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Gaining real world experience from an internship is always a plus, but gaining real world experience at an internship where I work for powerful females is even better. I have always had a passion for empowering women and learning new things. I definitely got the best of both worlds through this social media internship with ladies I have come to close with. As I move on with my life and I get a career of my own, I have a feeling I will still be in contact with these compelling women. They have inspired me so much, and I will always be grateful for this amazing opportunity.