The life of an intern: where small things make the difference
By Maddie Strauss
One of the first tasks I performed as an intern this fall at Resch Strategies was packing and labeling yard signs. It wasn’t glamorous work, but I secretly loved it. There’s something oddly satisfying about listening to a podcast, working with your hands, and seeing a pile of finished boxes grow taller by the hour. Most of what I do for school or internships lives online, including documents, emails, social posts, and progress, which can feel invisible. Yard signs gave me something you don’t get from staring at a screen: a stack of progress you can actually see. And more importantly, they weren’t just busywork. Those signs had to be ready to get out the door, because they’re one of the ways clients connect with people in their own communities.
That feeling is what hooked me on public relations as well. I came to Michigan State University planning to study politics and policy in James Madison College. I loved the ideas and the debates, but I missed having a creative outlet. When I added a PR major, I found the mix I didn’t know I needed: policy meets people, structure meets storytelling. Suddenly, I had a way to take complex issues and make them real.
Now, as a senior double major in Public Relations and Social Relations & Public Policy, I get to see that balance in action. At Resch, I’ve been working on client projects ranging from press releases and media advisories to newsletters, media lists, and news releases. These assignments aren’t just boxes to check, they’re the building blocks of how organizations communicate and get their stories heard. Whether it’s drafting a release, preparing a media list, or, yes, packing a box of yard signs, the work matters because it helps connect clients achieve their goals.
Outside the office, I spend my time in other corners of the Spartan community. I’m an Izzone section leader this season, helping lead thousands of Spartan fans at basketball games. On my own, my voice doesn’t carry far. But together, we create an energy that fills Breslin and fuels the team. I also run PR for Zeke the Wonderdog, MSU’s unofficial mascot. A single photo or frisbee catch might seem small, but shared with Spartan fans across the state, it builds a sense of community that Michigan State is known for.
That’s what excites me about this internship: being part of work that turns the big and abstract into something people can see and feel. The small things bridge the gap between the abstract and the individual. That’s also what drew me to PR in the first place. I’ve always loved storytelling, and PR gives me the chance to take complicated ideas and shape them into something real and relatable. At Resch, I’m excited that means helping organizations across Michigan communicate in ways that matter, work that not only sharpens my skills but also reminds me why I chose this path.
