By Lesley Ornelas
Texas State News Intern

    Senior Michelle Brown, a marketing major at Texas State University-San Marcos, will graduate in December 2006 with knowledge and experience from several different places and organizations around the Austin and San Marcos areas that many will never have the opportunity to be a part of.
    Michelle, a former officer of the American Marketing Association, one of the largest professional associations for marketers, is currently serving as an intern in the Texas State Office of Community Relations.
    Her main focus at the Community Relations Department is on United Way of Hays County, an organization set up in communities across America that works with a broad range of people and other organizations to identify and resolve community issues.
    United Way has participated in several different missions including helping children succeed, building vital and safe neighborhoods, and taking the steps to enroll children of low-income families in health insurance.
    Michelle is responsible for many tasks while involved with United Way including event planning, applying for grants for the organization and creating press releases.
    “I have learned so much in such a short period of time and I have had a blast doing it.  I work with wonderful people who are willing to teach me what I need to know and introduce me to the people that can help me in the future,” she said.
    Along with being involved with United Way of Hays County,  Michelle is also currently involved in the Fall Research Team for the American Advertising Federation competition.
    This competition is the premier college advertising competition. It provides more than 3,000 college students with real world experience by requiring a strategic advertising, marketing, or media campaign for a corporate sponsor. Schools from each district are selected to present their campaigns to a panel of industry executives at the AAF National Conference.
Michelle also works full time at Helzberg Diamonds in Austin and the experience there has helped her learn how to manage her time wisely.
“I wouldn't trade it for the world.  This has been the experience of a lifetime!”
For more information about internships through Texas State University contact Career Services at 245-2645.