This summer I have been working as the graphic design intern for EgoPo Classical Theater, a non-profit theater company that’s dedicated to community involvement, support of the arts, and revitalizing classical theater. It has been so much fun–I have learned a great deal about myself, the non-profit business model, and have even been able to get a clearer picture of my own future career goals.

If you’re like me and have a penchant for the unusual, my best advice for those looking for internships in advertising is not to pigeonhole yourself too soon. As an ad major, there is a huge push towards traditional advertising jobs and internships: they tell you to work at agencies, to try for in-house positions at big name brands, to not be afraid of pharma advertising.  All of this is good advice, and many of my friends have had invaluable experiences at these places. But personally, one of the reasons why I chose Advertising is because it is so versatile, and universal. As they keep telling us from day one of our first Ad class, we live in a world of hyper-communication. EVERYONE could benefit from someone who knows branding or can write engaging copy. So when looking for internships, if you have a secondary passion there is always the possibility of combining that with advertising into the perfect job for you.

For example, I have always been interested in the arts and theater. I was in the Drama Club in middle and high school, acting in small parts, doing sound and stage crew, and eventually becoming the Lead Painter in my senior year. I never thought there would be a way for me to continue with this after I graduated–until my friend Joe, a theater major, mentioned that his internship with EgoPo had an artistic director that could use help and might take on a graphic design intern. It has been a great melding of two of my favorite interests: I have created advertisements, posters, and programs; I even had the chance to help stage crew for a few weeks when the Stage Manager was sick.

So if you love sports, see if the Philadelphia Kickball League needs help, or if you love music, hang around with Actual Records until they give you something to do. Temple, and particularly the Advertising major, has given you one of the most versatile skill-sets you can have. Explore all the possibilities!