My First Day

Today was my first day working as a intern with Positive Spin. I started the day by helping Nick Hein install some wrenches and various tools on the wall for the public work benches. The office itself doubles up as a shop for people to repair, recycle, and pick up bikes. There is a small room where Nick and I have set up our laptops to get some minor work done. The office itself is very (VERY!) cold.

I started by updating the list of volunteers with their name, phone, address, email, and major information. I have not finished it yet, because Mr. Hein asked that I include a picture of everyone as well. This will take some time, because I am the only volunteer here this early in the day. Nick said he would help out by getting everyone's picture for me. Its a short list so it shouldn't take long.

Nick also got me working on editing and combining the minutes and the narrative of a board meeting held on March 3rd. This way it comes in one easy to read, 7-page file. It involved organizing the charts with the narrative so they flowed together and could also be used for quick reference. It was a word document that needed proper formatting.

I also made some suggestions about posting the Positive Spin name on other websites like Activeliving.org and pot holes I found in the company website. There are just a few dead links and sentences saying "click pic below," but there was no picture. I was hoping to work will the company webmaster, but he quit yesterday. So, I will work with Nick to fix these problems and update the website. I have very little experience with open source FTP code, but Nick seem to know a little bit more then me.

I am looking forward for tomorrow where I will bring up the ways Nick sees Positive Spin growing.

Positive Spin

Today I had a meeting with Nickolas Hein, CEO of Positive Spin. Positive Spin is a community partner of WVU's Center for Civic Engagement. Mr. Hein was very enthusiastic about bringing me on as a professional writing and editing intern to help around the office. He has never worked with a PWE intern before and hopes I can turn Positive Spin into a bigger company. This gives me a chance to define my own position and importance within Positive Spin.

Positive Spin focuses on loaning, repairing, and recycling bikes for people who choose to remain active, don't have a car, and/or rely on public transportation to get from place to place. Their most ambitious goal is to eliminate 80% of the vehicle miles traveled by 2040.

As an intern, I will help write grant proposals to encourage sidewalk building and repair projects, updating information to the webpage (positivespin.org), and edit executive and volunteer manuals. Mr. Hein is also part of program to get kids riding bicycles and writing about their experiences. I will enjoy helping on this project the most because kids are only getting fatter and aren’t excited about education. This program will help kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

I will work for around 28 hours a week, starting at 9am, and be doubling up a receptionist. This way, the company can keep steadier hours and keep organized. I am hoping to do a little design work by creating a new logo, t-shirts, hats/helmets, any number of flyers, and promotional material.

I will be updating this blog bi-weekly to track my progress with Positive Spin.

WVU's CCE

I have been to the Career Service Center, e-mailed all the WVU's Business Incubator companies, and contacted Populore Publishing, but still have not found anyone willing to take me on as an intern.

On Monday I stopped by the University's Center for Civic Engagement to inquire about internship opportunities for the Spring 2009 semester. I spoke to a GA named Sarah and gave her a copy of my resume to give to the center's director. I would have spoken to the director myself, but he was not available to talk.

Sarah informed me that my resume would be given to the various community partners of the CCE.

Today, I made some follow up calls to different partners including Positive Spin, The United Way, and Amizade.

I was not able to get a yes or no answer from anyone, but I was promised a call back by those three. I am hoping the Positive Spin will take me on because they are dedicated to people who choose to walk and use public transportation to get around Morgantown. I saw they are trying to get more and better sidewalks around town. As someone who relies entirely on walking and the bus, I fell very enthusiastic about encouraging safer ways.

I see that some of Barrack Obama's Stimulus Plan is going towards improving America's infrastructure. As their intern I can help petition the Government to spend some of this money on Morgantown. I myself was struck by a car in a crosswalk last year.

Amizade is part of the University's study abroad program. If I intern with them, I can make newsletters, promotions, and any number of promotional material to encourage student participation. I have traveled to Costa Rica, Iceland, and New Zealand. I know the importance of representing your country while feeling like a global citizen.

If none of this companies contact me by Thursday, then I will continue calling the various parent companies I found on the CCE website. Time is running out and I have stepped up my efforts from e-mails to straight calling. Hopefully, everything will work out.

Current Progress

I have been searching for an internship for about six weeks now, and still have not found anything. Yesterday, I went back to WVU's Career Service Center to see they knew of anything available. I met with Toni Jones and she was much more helpful then the last person I spoke to.

She gave me the names of people at the Dominion Post and the Jeffersonian that may need help. I called up Isiah Richie, who is an accounting student currently writing for the Jeffersonian. He gave me the e-mail address of Krista Streisel, who is apparently in charge of their hiring. I sent an e-mail inquiring about interning for them.

After I composed that e-mail, I got a message from Dale Weaver. Mr. Weaver is head of Sports Weave and works out of WVU's Business Incubator. I had e-mailed him a week or two ago asking about internship opportunities. He wanted a copy of my resume and what my interest is in Sports Weave. I sent a cover letter explaining my situation that informed him of the internship program, my desire to work with student-athletes, and my experience in athletics.

I hope to hear back from both of them as soon as possible. If they say "No," I also have other names and places like the Center for Civic Engagement and Ron Jusice informed me of Chris Flecker who is Director of Planning in Morgantown. If I do not hear back from Streisel or Weaver in a day, I will try these other places.

Calling Back

Today I sent a few minutes doing follow up calls to places that I sent a cover letter and a copy of my resume to. The one place that e-mailed me back was Datacaster (a stealth mode company). However when I called the number from the website, I received your standard "I'm sorry the number you are trying to reach..." I had no idea that Datacaster took its 'stealth' so seriously that you couldn't even call the office.

I decided to send an e-mail off to Populore Publishing in Westover. I have interviewed the head editor, Mrs. Sielen, for my 301 project and hope she will bring me on as an intern.

The Business Incubator

Over the last week I have been trying to find a internship, which I can use my skill effectively while gaining valuable experience. It has been hard to send out e-mails, cover letters, and resumes and not get a "yes" or "no." My roommate is telling me that they wait to give a response, but I can't afford to wait much longer.

This week I attended a meeting with WVU Career Service Center to get some help. After meeting with their representative and gains some names and number, I preceded to try and contact some of the people they gave me. I have not had any luck reaching these people. The one internship I really want is with WV Writers Inc. We both share the goal of helping develop creative writing skills within the community. I know this will be a good opportunity, but can't reach their intern coordinator.

Running out of options, I decided to try the WVU Business Incubator. I have tried once already and was met with cold silence. This time though I decided to e-mail the individual heads of each business in the Incubator. I sent an e-mail to any name I can find asking about a possible internship. I am hoping for either Datacasters Inc. (http://www.datacaster.com/) or SportsWeave (http://www.sportsweave.com/) to respond in favor of my request.

Many of my fellow classmates have found their internship and are working diligently for success. I have been tracking the blogs and been gaining an understanding of how to write my own once I gain and internship. I am a little worried that I may be too late to produce enough material for a A+ final portfolio, but that only means I'll have to work twice as hard in half the time.

Getting the name out there

Over the last week I have been customizing cover letters and resumes in order to find a internship here at the University. I have written letters to The Alumni Magazine, The Career Service Center, and have inquired with a friend if they need a PWE intern with the U92.

I have doubts that the Alumni Magazine will get back to me, but so far I have not been contacted by anyone. I hope at least for a formal rejection so I know were I stand. My only option I see keep sending my literature to as many people I can research.

I am still hoping to find an internship within WVU. I know that someone will be able to utilize my skills and I plan to live up to everything I say I am.