Reflection from the intern

My Experience at VIA

In the fall, I will start my senior year at the University of Dayton where I am double majoring in Marketing and Management Information Systems. VIA Studio has been a great place for me to blend both of these skills and a great first experience in the professional world.

While the average intern spends their day getting coffee, making copies, or running errands, I have been trusted with everything from writing blogs and social media posts, sending out newsletters, to participating in stakeholder meetings. The opportunity to contribute real work has taught me about how to be a part of a team better than any of my expensive college courses. (Thanks again for paying for college mom and dad :) )

A Peak Inside

When I was assigned the task of writing this post, I began by interviewing everyone on the VIA team. Some questions were silly in nature, such as “What is the best Thursday breakfast?” or “Which is the best Slack emoji?” (results of which can be viewed below).

Later in the interviews I got a bit more serious and asked “What is your favorite part about VIA?” and “What is VIA best at?”, which I found overlap a bit. To summarize everyone’s thoughts it comes down to three main points:

1. Everyone is passionate and knowledgeable about their work. This can cause some heated discussions, but at the end of the day we are great collaborators and friends.
2. VIA’s clients are more than clients, they are our partners. These partnerships with our clients are what make us different from other agencies. The mutual trust and respect from this kind of relationship brings out everyone’s best work and creates long-lasting relationships.
3. All VIA employees are weird, but we embrace it.

You’re important to the future

As the final question, I asked everyone in the office what “You’re important to the future” means to them. The first reaction to this question for a few was “goddamnit Corinne” or “I’m not answering that”. While others were enthusiastic and enjoyed the opportunity for reflection on a phrase they see everyday. Overall, everyone had a unique insight that speaks to the versatility of this phrase.

For some, this phrase doubles an ode to the past and embracing of the future. Before VIA moved in, this building had “You’re important to Gatchel’s” painted on it (Gatchel’s was a printing company that previously occupied 223 S Clay St.). Changing it to “You’re important to the future” is VIA’s way of bringing that old phrase into the 21st century. At the same time, it speaks to our clients and the local community. Another interpretation had to do with our work bringing clients to the future and the trajectory of our business. As a company, we are building something to accomplish a client’s goal. It is the users of the website that are the future, because they shape how the website is perceived. For others it had a more inspirational message that “everyone has the opportunity do something good to benefit others”.

To me, “You’re important to the future” is more of a reminder about what working at VIA has taught me. At the start of the summer I never thought I’d be ready to leave school and get a “grown-up” job, but after my experience at VIA I am excited to graduate and take the next step to my future. My skills are important, and I need to be confident in them because my future is in my hands. Everyday I look forward to seeing the progress on the mural. First drafted on paper, sketched onto the computer, painstakingly outlined in pencil, then painted onto the facade. While the process is interesting, I want to see the finished product and the impact it has for those who see it.