I captured photos at most of the tournaments during my internship.

Author: Jordan Smail | Major: Marketing | Semester: Summer 2022

This summer I went to Melbourne, Australia for an international internship through International Studies Abroad. I originally thought I was going to Sydney (the reason for my grant name), but I ultimately completed a two month long marketing internship at Squash and Racquetball Victoria. This small organization taught me a lot, and I learned so much about different aspects of business and the sports we oversaw. My many valuable experiences during my time in Australia make me feel much more prepared for my next step. S

quash and Racquetball Victoria (S&RV) is the non-profit state body for Squash and Racquetball in Victoria. ISA made the introduction, and I was offered the internship after an interview. I was there to help with their marketing efforts and take on additional projects. As a recent college graduate, I went into my internship trying to build up my resume. S&RV listened to this and provided me many opportunities that I feel gave me new experiences that will be helpful to have in my repertoire. I was given a lot of responsibility and was told that I could take on whatever I was interested in, which I did. My main responsibilities were leading social media efforts, website management, blog posts and press releases, and designing and launching two participation programs. I was also given the opportunity to attend events that helped me learn more about the field. I was able to assist at tournaments, attend a leadership workshop, and even attend a sports award ceremony.

My internship was a success and I’m happy that everything basically went right. First of all, I really got along with my coworkers and supervisors. I felt very comfortable asking questions, and we developed good, friendly relationships. In terms of my tasks, the social media metrics increased significantly in the time I was there. There were even over 100% increases in social media reach at points. I was also given positive feedback on redesigning the organization’s Mailchimp newsletters. I created two squash programs, a female focused one and social squash, which both had more demand than spots available. These programs were very successful, and they got good reviews and a continued demand. There were plans to continue these programs after I left. I had to develop the revenue model, the structure, the promotions, and more to put together these programs. I had a lot of fun doing it and it was so fulfilling to see my projects succeed.

I learned a lot, mainly from my supervisors, while I was interning in Melbourne. I learned new marketing skills and grew in ones I already had some experience in. I was able to strengthen my social media skills by taking charge of S&RV’s accounts. I worked on website management, which was good to learn. I worked on my PR skills by writing blog posts and press releases for our organization. Since I was writing for an Australian audience I wrote in their style, which was enjoyable to adapt to. Project management is one of the skills that I am most excited about having learned. This was my first time overseeing this type of project, and it was a great learning experience. I was able to figure out most of the details myself and put together two effective programs. Since I was able to attend different events and tournaments, I took the chance to talk to people and improve my social skills. I was told that my social skills are a big strength of mine from this internship, which was encouraging to hear. I believe that my time at Squash and Racquetball Victoria helped me grow professionally and personally in a number of ways.

This internship was my last course before receiving my diploma. Since I have gotten back from my internship, I have started to look for a job. I may end up back in Melbourne, but I am not quite sure if that will become available. I am now looking for jobs and will hopefully have an easier time with this new experience on my resume and confidence I’ve gained. I am looking forward to what is next for me.