Ashlyn Waddle

Majors: Media & Mass Communications and Public Relations; Minor: Event & Meeting Management

Intern, Jeff Roberts Agency

How did you learn about your internship opportunity?

I learned about this opportunity through networking and keeping in contact with people I had worked with in the past.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship

My internship has helped me clarify my career goals tremendously by giving me the opportunity to immerse myself in the live music booking business and the experiences of seeing artists live and watching my work come to fruition in the form of a concert. Being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue gave me the core communication skills needed for a position such as mine, where talking is the business.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

My biggest piece of advice is to be kind to everyone you work with. Burning bridges gets you nowhere and you would be surprised at how small of a world it really is. You never know where a connection might lead.

What key responsibilities or tasks have you taken on during your internship?

I was in charge of responding to all email inquiries regarding artist bookings and any other general emails that were sent in. I facilitated conversations between buyers to better understand what type of event they were wanting to host. I also completed any tasks or projects sent my way by agents.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development? Please elaborate on the significance of being a CLA student.

The College of Liberal Arts has supported my internship journey by providing career resources, mentorship, and funding that made hands-on experiences possible. The program helped remove financial barriers, allowing me to accept opportunities that aligned with my career goals. As a CLA student, I’ve learned to think critically and approach problems from multiple perspectives. This combination of academic preparation and professional development has been invaluable to my growth.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy?

The amount of support given by the CLA advisors.