Mary Rufo is a recent graduate of Florida State University, fresh out of the Spring 2021 term with a degree in Editing, Writing, and Media. During her time at FSU she did not one but two editing internships.
Her first one was with the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative at FSU, otherwise known as SIE@FSU. Their mission is to inspire and support a community of catalytic leaders not only on Florida State’s campus, but across the globe as well. Mary was offered this opportunity through one of the connections she made while writing for Her Campus. One of her biggest challenges while interning was the fact she had “never really done anything with social media.” Because of this, she was able to further expand her skills by crafting and posting for the program’s social media accounts.
The other internship Mary participated in was through FSU’s Reading Writing Center (RWC). This center is a haven for any student from any major: anyone can come in and get advice about their work at any stage of the process. She was presented this chance after taking a peer tutoring course with Kamila Albert, incoming interim RWC Director. While there she learned that “writing style and voice are the most important things when composing” a piece. This information aided her in developing her own writing and editing others’. One bit of information she will carry into her career is that “the fine details are just things to look at later.” Fixing the larger issues is always the most important step.
Before her internships began, Mary hoped to gain an “experience that would shape [her into] a better and more mindful composer.” She can safely say that her experiences definitely did that. Her classes in the English Department helped prepare her for her work. But the things you learn in class can only be solidified with real-world experiences and practice. Now, with both of these internships and a degree in her pocket, she is looking forward to pursuing her Master’s Degree in professional writing at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.
As she continues her education and steps into her career, Mary has one important piece of advice for those just starting out: “Always be networking.” It was through her connections she made that she was able to find these internship opportunities in the first place. Reaching out to those you know can be “super powerful” even “when you’re not looking for a job.” Fostering these relationships will be the biggest advantage for you down the line.
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