For Alison Jones, a summer internship with VisitErie offers more than professional experience — it’s an opportunity to help promote the region she has always called home.
A senior at PennWest Edinboro majoring in interdisciplinary studies with dual minors in marketing and event planning and management, Jones is spending her summer as a marketing intern with VisitErie, the county’s official destination marketing organization. The General McLane High School graduate is gaining hands-on experience while helping showcase Erie County’s attractions, events and experiences to visitors.
“As the VisitErie marketing intern, I work with the marketing team to help promote Erie as a travel destination,” Jones said. “I create content for VisitErie’s social media platforms, add events to the calendar on VisitErie.com and use the company’s CRM system to track partner mentions and estimated reach.”
Jones also assists with organizing and updating content based on VisitErie’s content calendar and annual marketing plan while ensuring all materials align with the organization’s brand standards.
“These responsibilities have given me valuable experience in digital marketing, content management and tourism promotion while allowing me to contribute to real marketing initiatives,” she said.
The internship has allowed Jones to put classroom concepts into practice, reinforcing lessons learned through her marketing, event planning and communications coursework at PennWest.
“In class, I have studied topics such as social media marketing, branding, audience engagement and strategic communication,” she said. “Through my internship, I have been able to apply those concepts in a real-world setting by creating social media content, developing community engagement campaigns, analyzing audience interactions and promoting local tourism initiatives.”
Working on projects that encourage user-generated content and increase community participation has helped Jones better understand how marketing strategies are developed, implemented and evaluated outside the classroom.
“This experience has strengthened both my technical and professional skills and will help prepare me for future opportunities in marketing, event planning and business,” she said.
Jones believes internships play a critical role in preparing students for life after graduation.
“I believe it is important to complete an internship because it provides valuable hands-on experience that cannot be fully replicated in a classroom environment,” she said. “Some people assume interns only complete simple administrative tasks, but my experience has been very different. I am treated as a member of the marketing team and contribute to meaningful projects that support organizational goals.”
Beyond building professional skills and confidence, Jones says internships help students explore potential career paths before entering the workforce full time.
While she is still considering her long-term career plans, the experience at VisitErie has helped clarify her interests and opened her eyes to new possibilities.
“The opportunity to work in marketing and tourism has exposed me to many different career possibilities and has helped me develop important professional skills,” Jones said. “As I continue my education, I plan to explore opportunities that combine my interests in marketing, event planning and community engagement.”
Ultimately, Jones hopes to build a career that allows her to combine creativity, communication and business strategy while making a positive impact.
For now, she is focused on making the most of her internship experience and contributing to the promotion of the Erie region — a place she knows well and is proud to help showcase to others.