Department of Communication Internship Program

University of Maryland
LEARNING AGREEMENT for COMM386
Students name: Nicholas C. Smith
Address: 11883 Blue February Way, Columbia MD 21044
Phone number: 443-812-8177
e-mail: Nicholas.smith42@gmail.com
Worksite supervisor's name and title: Monique Ianos Smallow, Senior Account Executive
Shannon Stern, Account Coordinator
Organization name: Maroon PR
Address: 8825 Stanford Blvd #145, Columbia MD 21045
Phone number: 443-864-4246
e-mail: Monique@maroonpr.com
Fax: 443-864-4266
Shannon@maroonpr.com
Academic Instructor's name and title: Julie S. Gowin, Outreach Coordinator
Address: Department of Communication, R2130 Skinner Bldg., College Park, MD 20742
Phone number: (301) 405-7323
e-mail: gowin@umd.edu
Fax: (301) 314-9471
Descriptive Title of Internship Position: Public Relations Intern
Job description including general duties to be undertaken as part of the internship:
Assisting at client events (may be outside of business hours)
Building media lists and researching editorial calendar opportunities
Promoting client events and news through grassroots marketing and media outreach
Pitching local and national media on a clients behalf
Posting and managing clients social media pages
Drafting press materials surrounding client events and announcements
Compiling client media reports
Other duties as assigned

The students work should meet this description, the student should receive adequate
supervision, the student should have a safe place to work, and the student should have
the opportunity to fulfill learning requirements.
The student should provide diligent performance of work, safeguard the interests of the
organization, and share information that may impact the students ability to do the job
including the level of internship course for which the student has registered.
Description of compensation including amount, how and when paid and treatment of taxes, as
well as, facilities, and supervision to be provided by the worksite organization to the student:
This is a nonpaid internship being done for credit only.

Units of credit to be earned: 3 (require a minimum of 45 hours of work per credit)

Time frame of internship:

Start date: 5/29/15
End date: 8/28/15
Weekly schedule: Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. 5 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
Grading
Intern: The student should follow the syllabus provided by the instructor.
Supervisor: The supervisor should write an evaluation of the student and send it to the
instructor by semesters end. It should be signed and on company letterhead. This letter should
verify the number hours the student has worked and give a descriptive evaluation of the quality
of work provided by the student during the internship. A copy of the evaluation should be
provided to the student. Please note that students will be allowed to view the evaluation.
Instructors access to evaluate the student
Early in the internship the student should coordinate and the organization should welcome an
onsite visit at the worksite for the instructor. The onsite visit should include a tour of the facility
and the students workspace, and an opportunity to meet and talk briefly with the supervisor.
Student Interns Goals and Objectives (including project plan)
Goal: Improve writing skills and ability to write PR documents for clients.
Objective: Send email pitches to local media and measure the response rate and ability to secure
TV time or segments for agency clients. So far, I have written two email pitches, both of which
have been sent to local media and received responses.
Objective: Practice writing at least three press releases for upcoming events for clients and have
the work evaluated by the supervisor with the hope that the release will be sent out to local media
and other target audiences. I can also measure the response rate from local media or target
audiences inquiring about the upcoming event.
Goal: Familiarizemyselfwiththedaytodayactivitiesofapublicrelationsprofessionalinan
agencysettingandlearnaboutwhattheprofessionandcareeractuallyentails.
Objective: I would like to contribute to at least one PR campaign or local partnership and measure
the success of these campaigns based on the number of people who attended certain events and
the media reception of these events.
Objective: I would like to sit in on client meetings. Eventually, I would like to contribute to
conversations myself and provide my own insight or input for certain campaigns.
Project plan: For one client, I would like to take the lead in writing most of the PR documents
and securing them time on local media to promote themselves or their business. For example, I
would like to write a press release for an upcoming event, write the email pitch to local media,
along with a media advisory.
Weather emergency plan and absenteeism policy
Student will make up the work he as missed if he is absent. If the weather prevents the student
from coming to the office, he will have to make the up the work he missed the next time he comes
into the office.
Rights of the worksite in supervising the student
The supervisor has the right to direct the students work, hours, discipline, and termination.

Process of termination
Student and supervisor should share concerns with the instructor before taking action to
terminate the internship. The student should have permission of the instructor before
terminating participation in the internship. The instructor may remove the intern from the
placement.
The undersigned agree to the conditions, including any attachments, which shall be initialed, set
forth in this document for this internship.
Student

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Supervisor

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Instructor

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