By Rebecca Wyatt, OU Web Writer

When Amanda McAdoo, CAS ’05, began her internship at Siemen’s VDO last fall she knew she was gaining solid experience she could take with her as she pursued a career in journalism. As it turns out, she was able to use her internship experience in an essay contest, in which she took second place and received $250.

The Michigan Council for Internships and Cooperative Education Carol Quandt Essay Contest asks that students write about the relevance of their co-op or internship experience as it relates to their degree preparation. McAdoo was able to write about her three-month internship experience at Siemen’s VDO. 

“Siemens VDO had an employee newsletter, and at the time, it was called ‘News Circuit.’ Most of the work I did involved working on articles for that. Also, I would help put together materials for certain company events,” McAdoo said.

McAddo got her internship by utilizing the eRecruiting tool offered through Career Services, where students post resumes online for prospective employers to browse. Someone from Siemens VDO reviewed her resume and called her for an interview. After her second interview, she got the internship.

“Many of the things I did at my internship helped me to prepare for a career in journalism. For example, I was asked to conduct a couple of interviews with people who worked at Siemens VDO. Also, I took photographs of an event we had at Siemens VDO and wrote an article about it,” McAdoo said.

Interning at Siemen’s VDO also provided McAdoo with a firsthand look at the automotive industry from a public relations and supplier perspective.

McAdoo has known since she was 12 years old that she wanted to be a writer. She said her dream career would be in the journalism field, but in the future, she would like to branch out.

“I would love to write about entertainment for a major newspaper or magazine. Eventually, I would love to write my own book, it would probably be religious in nature. Also, I would like to get into book publishing as well. I also have considered writing scripts for television and movies,” McAdoo said.

Currently, McAdoo is looking for a job in journalism, and she knows she has a solid background to help her find it thanks to her internship, which she encourages all students to complete during college. She said students should find an internship doing something they love.

“And if they can find a paid internship, that is all the better. I was blessed to find something I enjoyed doing that paid,” McAdoo said.

For more information on eRecruiting, visit the Career Services Web site or call (248) 370-3250.