Two CI Students to Intern at Advertising Agencies in New York

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 4, 2016) — University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information seniors Jordan Mason and Chelsea St. Clair were both selected to intern in New York City this summer through the Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) hosted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA).

Mason, an integrated strategic communication (ISC) major from Louisville, Kentucky, will intern at Young & Rubicam (Y&R) Group as an account management intern. St. Clair, an integrated strategic communication and psychology dual degree student from West Des Moines, Iowa, will intern with BBDO Worldwide as a strategy intern.

Both are looking forward to their experiences in New York and are excited to further their careers through internships at such prestigious firms.

“I am very excited to work in an agency,” Mason said. “I really want to work in a firm and have one of my own one day, so this will give me great insight on how they work.”

St. Clair, a returning MAIP fellow, interned at Ogilvy & Mather through the program last summer and is looking forward to continuing to develop her career.

“I am excited to dig in and just get started,” St. Clair said. “I'm expecting it to be a bit different because I will already know some people who work there from last summer, through the powerful network of MAIP, so I won't take much time to test the waters.”

Both students will graduate from UK in May and begin their internships in June.  St. Clair, currently interning full time with adam&eveDDB in London, is looking forward to another summer in New York City. Mason, however, has never been to New York, or even on a plane, so she’s looking forward to the new experiences this program will bring.

“It would be a lie to say I am not nervous, but I think once I get there I will learn to love it and learn to love a new area.” Mason said. “If you don't go out and experience new things then you will never know if you like it or not!”

They will join about 70 other MAIP student interns in a student residency. There they will have the opportunity to live, network and foster friendships with other interns in the program. These relationships will be helpful during the course of the summer internships because in addition to their work at their respective agency placements, student interns from all agencies work together on various projects throughout the summer.

“Being a MAIP intern also means I will have extra things to do outside of my internship,” St. Clair said. “Every Monday night the MAIP interns head to different agencies to learn more about a topic from someone at that agency. And then, we will be a part of a larger project due at the end of the summer.”

MAIP is a longstanding program with alumni that prioritize student success.

“It is an amazing program that helps bring diverse talent into agencies in numerous roles,” St. Clair said. “The program is over 40 years old, so the number of people who have been involved in it, who want to continue to help out and support new interns, is overwhelming.”

Their courses, internships and involvement on campus during their time at UK have prepared them for their respective roles this summer.

St. Clair held her first internship here on campus and continued to develop her career through many other internship positions.

“My first internship was as at the UK Office of Development, recently renamed the Office of Philanthropy,” St. Clair said. “I was one of the first interns they ever had, and with it being my first internship we got to grow together and learn a lot from each other.”

Since then she has interned in various roles with Ogilvy & Mather, Keeneland and adam&eveDDB.

Mason is the president of UK’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and a member of the National Student Advertising Competition team at the university. She has held internships with the MC3 Lab on campus, Urban Empowerment Group, UK Public Relations and Marketing, Cumulus Media and Bluegrass Hospitality Group.

Both Mason and St. Clair credit the ISC program with their success.

“My ISC degree has given me such a stable foundation to build upon,” St. Clair said. “Not only do I get to develop my skills as a young advertiser but I also get a lot of hands on experience in extremely applicable situations.”

“Honestly, the most important thing through it all is how everyone in the ISC department wants you to succeed.” Mason said. “Every professor and person you come in contact with wants you to be the best that you can be and reminds you of that daily. They are the biggest support group that anyone could ask for.”

Being in the College of Communication and Information helped both students feel prepared to take on the extensive MAIP application process.

It includes four written essays, a personal video, letters of recommendation, a résumé and school transcript. Applicants go through various interviews and screening sessions before being selected as semifinalists and then finalists. Finalists are hand selected by the agencies and invited to intern at locations across the country.

Upon being selected as MAIP fellows and receiving offers for internships, students begin training for the program via online conferences and videos.

“The application process is rigorous, but definitely worth it,” St. Clair said.

Both Mason and St. Clair encourage students to apply for the program.

“This is a great opportunity, and if you feel that this is something that you would be willing to do, please apply,” Mason said. “I didn't think that I would even be considered for the semifinals, and now I am headed to New York in June. Don't let the fear of going somewhere new scare you from pursing your dreams!”

For more information and to learn who is eligible to apply, visit http://maip.aaaa.org/#home.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Hairston, 859-257-3302, gail.hairston@uky.edu