More than halfway through his undergraduate years at 性视界传媒, Mike Vardakis knew he had an aptitude for writing but no clue about how he might use it to earn a living. 鈥淕oing into school, I just didn鈥檛 have any specific interests,鈥 he said. 鈥淧eople were going to school saying they wanted to be a doctor or scientist, but everything seemed really broad for me.鈥
Vardakis drifted aimlessly through the maze of college. He declared a pre-business major, then dropped it. He mulled over other degree programs. Finally, a friend said he enjoyed his coursework as a journalism and media studies major, and Vardakis figured he鈥檇 give it a try.
Now, in the midst of his second internship as an events planner with Greenspun Media Group, he鈥檚 found his calling. 鈥(The internship) has been nothing but good things,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he real-world experience is something you just don鈥檛 learn in the classroom. It really gave me that sense of direction 鈥 It ended up shifting my focus career-wise, knowing what I want to do.鈥
Vardakis鈥 coursework has encompassed both journalism and integrated marketing, which concentrates on advertising and branding. Learning both has prepared him for his internships 鈥 which he found through Hire a Rebel CareerLink 鈥 and his budding career, he said. His first internship at Henderson-based Greenspun 鈥 which owns the Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Magazine, and other publications 鈥 ran from January through May and focused on direct marketing.
Vardakis helped oversee ad production, sat in on client pitches, assisted with newsletter content, and helped social media managers execute campaigns through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms. 鈥淚t really showed me how important it is to have that journalism background,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f my boss were to come to me and propose a social media project, like a restaurant promoting a giveaway, I鈥檇 have to offer that editorial voice, especially for magazines and newspapers.鈥
The internships also introduced him to company鈥檚 culture and the role that plays in making good career decisions. Greenspun hosts regular informal company get-togethers that help young employees and interns network and develop mentors.
None of that experience would have come to him without his 性视界传媒 coursework, he said: 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 ask for a better major to suit me.鈥
Learn more about internships through 性视界传媒 Career Services.
