As a corporate events intern with the direct marketing agency Royall & Company, Morgan Forrest '18 of Brewer, Maine, had the opportunity to view higher education from the perspective of her business administration major. At Royall’s offices in Richmond, Va., she worked to improve the performance of higher education institutions, and the experience showed her how everything comes full circle — she helped market colleges to prospective students, which she once was.

Colby-Sawyer is a client of Royall, and the connection helped make Forrest’s internship possible. She also received a grant from the college to offset the costs of living and working so far from home.

Forrest is an outstanding member of the Colby-Sawyer community. In addition to her notable contributions in the classroom, she is a resident assistant, tour guide and Blue Key Society Member. She is vice president of the Class of 2018, active in theater and a member of the Campus Activities Board.

Have your course work and studies helped prepare you for this job? What courses have you found most helpful in fulfilling your intern duties?

I felt highly prepared and confident going into my internship because of my course work and studies. I felt I had developed the skills necessary to perform well in the internship environment from all my business courses, but a few stand out.

My courses with Professors Bill Spear and Jon McCosh helped lay a base of knowledge in the area of marketing and communications while developing my presentation and public speaking skills. My management and human resources classes with Professors Leslie Campbell and Beth Crockford expanded my knowledge of conflict management and broadened my definition of what it means to be a leader through group work and teambuilding.

The liberal arts aspect of my Colby-Sawyer education is also important. By picking up a minor in graphic design and being a member of the Wesson Honors Program, I have pushed myself to become a more knowledgeable, well-rounded human being. I make an effort to expand my horizons. That is one of my goals: to become an educated, empowered and sophisticated leader who can draw on a diverse range of topics and talents from various fields of study — a Renaissance woman, if you will.

What have you learned during your internship?

This internship experience confirmed that I have chosen the right educational path and taught me that everything comes full circle. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Royall, and it is thrilling to think that I could help guide a prospective student to the college or university that is the perfect fit for them. Viewing higher education from a business perspective is so interesting, and I was happy to find myself engaged and learning something new every day of my internship.

What is the most memorable moment of your internship experience?

It’s hard to pick just one! I have had a wonderful experience and made countless memories. Top moments include volunteering at the Richmond Special Olympics, presenting my final project on digital marketing and social media to senior management, being featured in photos and videos Royall’s own marketing materials, and participating in a scavenger hunt at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Not to brag, but we won the mighty Bronze Turtle!).

How is Colby-Sawyer’s requirement of completing an internship beneficial?

I find Colby-Sawyer’s requirement of completing an internship highly beneficial, as it challenges students to develop their interpersonal communication skills, build a strong networking base and prepare themselves for the workplace after school. I believe that each Colby-Sawyer student and graduate is a reflection of the college; we are walking, talking, marketing materials for our institution, and a required internship helps to develop the promotional material, per se.