Working Titlez

We love interns! They ask the important questions, like “Why?” and that, in turn keeps us re-evaluating our best practices. Erin DeWyn, our summer intern from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, has been a welcome addition to our team. Her can-do attitude, sunny disposition and eagerness to help make her a great team player.

Internship Report By Erin DeWyn

Erin DeWyn, Summer 2009 Intern

In many college students’ lives panic and stress are frequent visitors to the mind. Commence summer job and internship hunting. A bit before spring break (February and early March), I usually start looking for summer employment.  Matching interest to available opportunities has not always been easy, but this summer I can honestly say I found exactly what I was looking for. I had the privilege of interning at Stephens Press, LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As an English major (Writing minor), I knew I wanted to do something with my summer that would enhance the literary learning I participate in during the school year. Working at Stephens Press has been the perfect occasion for me to delve into my scholastic interests through firsthand experience. I remember how ecstatic I was when asked to write a media advisory for one of the company’s newest titles, Bing: On the Road to Elko. From web blog posts to proofreading, the projects I worked on allowed me to make connections between cognition in the classroom and action in the workplace.

Carolyn Hayes Uber, the president of Stephens Press (my supervisor), impeccably facilitated my growth and learning. She constantly provided me with new and exciting projects to work on and allowed me to see numerous aspects of the company. I did enjoy certain parts of the job more than others, but the knowledge I have gained makes every part of my experience worth the work. I came into the position without many distinct expectations – open minded – which turned out to be a positive thing. I knew I wanted to write, which I was able to do. I knew I wanted to work on developing marketing skills, which I was also able to do. The only part of the job that I did not know much about was the Word Press website work. I was told before I started that I would be working with Word Press, but had never used it before. Now, I can approach it fearlessly. I enjoyed familiarizing myself with Word Press and working on web design, especially when I got to see the fruits of my labor: a finished site.

Overall, I would not trade my experience at Stephens Press for anything. I have loved working with a smaller staff and have learned that the members of a company do not have to be contained in one place for business to run smoothly. From Southern California to Hong Kong, Stephens Press is making its mark across the globe. What a place to be a summer intern! I also learned that doing what scares me most forces me to grow personally and professionally. As Ms. Frizzle of the Magic School Bus once said, “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” I honestly did not know if I was capable of every task I was assigned this summer, but it is crucial to take that first step and choose confidence over cowardice. I will also say that communication – in the publishing world, in the workplace, and in life – is key. I learned the importance of that statement several times over the course of the summer, and remind myself of it often. The lessons I have learned have made my time at Stephens Press meaningful and memorable: humility, determination, communication. No other summer job comes close.

If you know someone who’d like to gain experience in the book publishing world through an internship at Stephens Press, direct a query to info@stephenspress.com.