For Natalie Reynolds, every day as a press office intern with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation brings a new opportunity to inform the public and strengthen the communication skills she's developed at PennWest Clarion.

A communication major from Glasgow, Pennsylvania, Reynolds is spending her internship supporting PennDOT's District 2 communications team. From writing press releases and monitoring media coverage to attending community events and promoting transportation safety, she is gaining firsthand experience in the fast-paced world of public relations.

A graduate of Glendale Junior-Senior High School, Reynolds is also an active member of Clarion’s Epsilon Phi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, a co-educational national honorary fraternity designed exclusively for college and university band members, and she plays the baritone horn in the Golden Eagle Marching Band.

Her daily responsibilities vary, providing exposure to many aspects of professional communications.

Each morning begins with compiling news clips about PennDOT activities throughout District 2 and distributing them to agency personnel. She also helps write and publish press releases announcing road construction projects, closures, detours and traffic safety updates. In addition, she assists with maintenance announcements and creates detour maps that accompany public notices.

One of her favorite aspects of the internship, however, takes her beyond the office.

“I've gotten the experience to go into the public and be able to give out safety tips,” Reynolds said. “I've had the opportunity to attend a senior expo, various meetings and three radio stations so far.”

She also looks forward to participating in additional community outreach events, including National Night Out and other transportation safety initiatives later this summer.

The internship has reinforced concepts she learned throughout her communication coursework at PennWest.

“From classes such as media ethics to communication research to professional business communication, all of my classes have given me a background in my career field, making it easier to adapt to the ever-changing media landscape,” she said.

Just as importantly, the experience has helped her grow personally and professionally.

“This experience has already made me feel confident in my abilities to be a public figure and work with the general public,” Reynolds said. “My internship experiences are essential to encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone and take on new projects I normally wouldn't have had the confidence to do.”

She believes the lessons she's learning now will continue to shape her education and future career.

“As I continue my education, I can apply what I learned from my internship and use it as a framework when learning new information and how it might apply to my career field,” she said.

For Reynolds, internships offer something the classroom alone cannot provide: real-world experience and meaningful professional connections.

“I believe completing an internship is extremely important because there's nowhere else you'd get hands-on experience in a given career field,” she said. “An internship also opens avenues to making connections that wouldn't have happened without gaining the experience an internship offers.”

After graduation, Reynolds hopes to pursue a career in public relations or work in radio or television broadcasting. She also aspires to one day work for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, building on the experience and confidence she's gained through her PennDOT internship.

With every press release she writes, community event she attends and conversation she has with the public, Reynolds is building the skills and professional foundation that will help drive her career forward.