The Experience of a French Intern at Heron Agency
By Manelle Hafayed
And here comes the end. It is time for me to leave my desk and say goodbye. I can’t help but feel nostalgic already. My month-long internship at Heron Agency went too quickly for my taste. I was able to stay busy every day writing press releases, pitching, brainstorming, attending appointments and more in every corner of Chicago, in its most beautiful hotels, bars, restaurants and theatres.
It is with this awesome team that I was able to truly learn from the world of PR, communication, marketing, social media, digital advertising and so much more. Public relations is an industry that requires a lot of work, understanding, listening, creativity, precision and above all sociability. I was surprised to see how friendly the atmosphere at the office is, there is no competition but only sharing and helping despite the endurance and adrenaline that this field can cause. Thanks to Heron, I have been able to begin developing all those qualities that are essential in everyday life.
One of my favorite moments was when I attending a meeting at VU Rooftop with their new manager. We were able to share with them our ideas for future events and future creations. We also had to take into account their demands, reassure their fears and prove our dedication to them. I also really enjoyed working in pairs on new projects and seeing them develop and become a concrete reality, such as the realization of packages for the Ivy Hotel. I could not expect more from this internship, I really felt like a valuable member of the team from start to finish.
I end this internship grown up, having developed not only intellectual and professional skills but also the beginnings of several qualities necessary for a promising career. I would say I am surprised, but when I think of the strong, intelligent and creative individuals who have mentored me for the past month, I am not. In particular, Noreen, who created and has been at the head of this agency for almost 20 years now, inspires me to be a real businesswoman as I aspire to be. She is an ambitious, brilliant, generous and successful woman. I can never thank Noreen and everyone enough for their patience, kindness, and trust. I acknowledge the opportunity I had to realize this experience, in such a welcoming, promising and educational environment. Every day was more rewarding than the previous one. Now, all I have to do is catch another flight from Paris to Chicago and put my new experience to use as I continue to pursue my studies. I hope to be back in Chicago soon. Thousands of thanks everyone!
