All In Solutions and Spotsylvania Farmers Market
I am an intern for not one but two organizations this summer!
My first internship is as a Marketing Intern at All In Solutions in May. AIS is a veteran and woman-owned small business specializing in advancing clients’ business objectives and fueling innovation quickly and accurately through managed services, IT solutions, and strategic initiatives.
As their Marketing Intern, I am in charge of three projects this summer: to design a new business card, revamp the company’s presence on social media platforms, and redesign the website. I started work on the new business cards since AIS had several new employees starting in June. I love working on graphic design projects, and this one was no different. I was able to put the design skills I developed from my UMW classes to use and created several mockups and, ultimately, the final product.
For the past month, I have been making a plan to improve AIS’s online presence, specifically on its existing social media platform. I have also laid out proposed changes to the company’s website. I plan to start implementing these changes soon. This internship provides me with excellent insight into the professional world and the private contracting sector. It has also shown me that every business, no matter what they do, needs to have a marketing department.
My second internship is at the Spotsylvania Farmers Market as a Market Management and Administration Intern. This farmers’ market is one of the largest in the region, operating a small market on Wednesdays and a big market on Saturdays. With market operations heading back to normal since the pandemic, the market is looking to expand.
My primary role this for them is to research and help run special events at the market. I am exploring what forms of entertainment most appeal to the market’s shoppers and how we can bring in local versions of that entertainment. We are looking for more kid-centered activities since families make up most of our shoppers. Some ideas include face painting, henna tattoos, balloon artists, and arts and crafts. We are looking into having a local artist from downtown Fredericksburg collaborate with the market to create a banner featuring the kids’ artwork.
Additionally, I attend the Saturday farmers market and help with the set-up and take-down of the site. I also help set the signs, section the parking lot, and clean up the surrounding area. Throughout the day, I assist with answering questions about the market and handling SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) transactions. This internship has allowed me to explore the event planning industry firsthand, a field I have been interested in learning more about for years.