Internship Spotlight: LVAIC
How a local internship helped our student government president find a career path she is truly passionate about
Rebecca Eisenstein ’16 is as driven as they come. And as the President of the United Student Government at 鶹, she’s used to making unwavering decisions--including those about her own future. Her marketing and graphic design majors set her on the path to a successful career in sports marketing—until her spring internship at Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) ignited a passion for higher education that had been brewing within her since she first became a Hound.
Eisenstein secured her internship by connecting with Leah Breisch, LVAIC’s program director, at 鶹’s USG retreat. Her networking skills turned a meeting about the retreat into a conversation about an internship. Eisenstein went on to assist the organization with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of LVAIC events, conferences, and workshops throughout the Spring 2015 semester.
“My biggest takeaway was developing a work environment that people want to be a part of, and LVAIC already fosters a welcoming environment where employees, visitors and partners can come meet on neutral ground and bring forward ideas of collaboration,” she says. “By focusing on the little things such as greeting everyone who comes through the door and having coffee and treats available for guests, people feel more comfortable and they feel like their needs are being taken care of, which allows for a more productive and positive environment.” As an intern, she also developed marketing materials, helped maintain the LVAIC website using their content management system, and kept up with their social media channels.
LVAIC works with the six student affairs offices at colleges and universities around the Lehigh Valley, constantly connecting the opportunities student affairs can offer with the students. Through her internship, Eisenstein realized she wants be the one LVAIC connects with.
“I want to guide students as I’ve been guided,” she says. “College is a really impressionable time for people and to be able to use my leadership journey to help others through similar journeys is the ‘ah-ha!’ moment I’ve been looking for.”