Editor’s Note:  This post was originally published on the Interns Expose Amway blog.

As an intern at any company, an important part of the internship is asking questions and absorbing as much information as possible. One thing I’ve learned at Amway is that people are more than happy to answer your questions and encourage you to ask away.

One goal of my internship is learning how to work with different media outlets. As a recent grad and young public relations professional, it’s necessary for me to increase my understanding on how to interact and make connections with journalists, bloggers and reporters. While I learned from my professors and had a little bit of experience prior, I want to learn the tips, tricks and correct ways of approaching, talking and following up with the media.

On Monday, I got the perfect chance to learn from, ask questions and observe my mentor, Katie, at a recent Amway-sponsored event - United States Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship. Referencing one of Esther’s posts where she wrote about her experience at the event, the golf championship involves 156 young golfers from around the country competing for the winning title.

In the (very, very early) morning Katie and I met with a local sports radio station where she secured two speakers from Amway. In the afternoon, I met a journalist and reporter from local news outlets. The next day, Katie secured an interview about Amway employees volunteering at the event for a local news station story. Very neat, right? I thought so, and wanted to know how it all came together.  I asked Katie questions like, “how did you arranged an interview if you hadn’t planned on it prior to the event?” and “how do you approach a reporter with a story idea and not sound too overbearing?”

The answers in a nutshell: It really depends on the situation. Be friendly, helpful and look for relevant stories reporters would be interested in. It also helps to get your name and face out there.

It was a wonderful learning experience that brought me closer to understanding how to work with the media. And not to mention, I got watch a little golf on the side.

I’m not the “but why” person (although I may have been when I was little), but I definitely believe in the power of asking questions.

Editor’s Note:  This post was originally published on the Interns Expose Amway blog.

I really didn’t know what to expect when I came to Amway six weeks ago, but I have definitely been on a winding yellow brick road of new experiences.  I am an advertising and design student who usually takes classes in marketing, branding, information graphics and creative media.  When the summer swept me off my feet, however, I was blown into the far away land of Information Technology.

In this strange new land they spoke a different language and had a different way of doing things, and I have to admit, I was completely out of my element at first.  With tons of confusing acronyms being thrown around and terms I had never even heard of showing up in my emails, I really thought I was in over my head.  As I powered through the new material and decided I would learn as much as possible about IT, this scary misadventure quickly became an exciting journey.

So far this summer, I have learned so much about new things I would have never imagined I’d be working with.  I had never done anything with IT in the past, but now that I have it has opened my eyes to a whole new field and a whole new way of applying the skills I have learned while earning my degrees.  I have met some great people along the way who have helped me discover that I have the courage to delve into foreign topics, that I do have a more technical side to my brain and most importantly, that I have a huge appreciation and a place in my heart for IT.

Editor’s Note:  This post was originally published on the Interns Expose Amway blog.

This year, Amway is a major sponsor for the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Tournament at Egypt Valley Country Club.  Because I’m interning in brand marketing, I am fortunate enough to be part of this event.  The tournament doesn’t happen until mid July, but last Friday was the media day – the day where media and Amway executives enjoyed a game of golf.  I’m not a golfer, Amway executive, or media personal, so what did that mean for me last Friday?  Well besides pulling out of the drive way at 5:30am for set up, working with some great people in the special events department, shaking hands with Amway executives, and eating several free meals …it meant a day at the country club!  The weather could not have been better for the event: warm and sunny with a light breeze.  In my opinion, this was the best weather Michigan has offered all summer!

Here’s how the day went: When the players arrived, they went to the Amway tent and were given an Amway gift bag filled with some great Amway products, breakfast was served in one of the country club’s dining areas (very tasty), and then they set out in teams of five to play some golf!  As they traveled the 18-hole course, they came across several eSpring water stations where they could fill up their Nutrilite water bottles.  Nutrilite snack bars and energy bars were also provided at the water stations.  At the end of the morning, three people were crowned winners and given Amway gifts at the luncheon (delicious food!).  The gifts included an eSpring water filtration unit, a large gift basket of Nutrilite products, or a large basket of Artistry products.  The day was a success!

A day at the country club, PR experience, and special events experience…no complaints from my end!

Editor’s Note:  This post was originally published on the Interns Expose Amway blog.

My name is Kylie Carlson and I am in my fourth week as a Communications and Training intern in Change Management.  My project is to come up with a brand and marketing campaign for the ATLAS Project Center of Excellence.  I am going to be creating and designing some fun stuff this summer, but first let me tell you a little bit about myself….

I am a senior studying advertising, graphic design and German at Ball State University in Indiana.  I am from Holland, so I am back home in west Michigan for the summer! My favorite hobby is traveling and I have done five study abroad programs in the last three years, including a summer internship at a palace in Austria and two semesters in the UK.  I love to design and create and my favorite parts of advertising are branding, alternative media and guerrilla campaigning.  I also enjoy music, British literature, art, volunteering, shopping and of course spending time with friends and family.

I am really excited to be at Amway for the summer because of all the wonderful things I have heard about the company and their intern program.  Having lived in West Michigan for most of my life, I never realized just how huge Amway is and the impact they have on communities around the world.  I am very excited to be part of it all!

Editor’s Note:  This post was originally published on the Interns Expose Amway blog.

We are T-6 days until over 60 Amway interns go full force in competing for the 1^st place title of the 3^rd Annual West Michigan Intern Olympics. This being my third time participating in this event, I am sorry to report that Amway has gotten 2^nd place the two previous years. Good news though; I think the third time is a charm and this is our year!

So, what exactly is the “West Michigan Intern Olympics” anyway? Glad you asked.

This event brings interns from 7 of the top West Michigan companies together for 3 hours of friendly competition. The First Annual Olympics included inaugural companies Amway and Steelcase. Last year, Meijer, Gordon Food Service, Perrigo, and Wolverine Worldwide were added to the mix, and now this year, Spectrum Health interns will be joining.

From my past Olympic experience I can say that this event is a great networking event to not only mingle with fellow Amway interns but to also meet the many young professionals from the above companies. Besides that, participating in the Olympics gives interns the opportunity to trade in their heels for tennis shoes and step out of the office for the afternoon and participate in some fun games. Last year, we had a couple of intense situations as the Red Team (my team) created an amazing strategy for winning the hula hoop contest. Despite the strategy (that seemed fair!) that brought us a win in that event, we were labeled cheaters. It was a fun time, anyway. Moral of that story: listen to event rules carefully. The tug-o-war is always a big hit, and of course, the competition becomes heated during the final trophy winning event when our abilities were tested through a series of brain teasers, math problems, and a relay race.

Last year, we gained a lot of media exposure through the radio, several news articles, television coverage, and we even landed a spot on Fox17 with Emily Richett where she showcased several of us Amway interns.

This event is something you definitely do not want to miss! To stay up-to-date, check out Amway’s Facebook by clicking here.

Amway fought a hard battle last summer, but came out in 2^nd. This year, it is our turn to take home the trophy!