Student completes internship at Philadelphia Fire Department

Experiential learning is an integral component of education at Messiah. The College provides numerous opportunities for students to gain experience outside of the classroom. Trust Milyango ’20 is one of many students who have taken advantage and benefitted from these opportunities.

Majoring in communication with a marketing minor, Milyango spent last summer working as a communications intern at the Philadelphia Fire Department. She learned about the internship on a visit to the mayor’s office in Philadelphia during an Into the City trip.

A couple of emails and an interview later, Milyango landed the job. Her responsibilities included drafting press releases, managing social media, taking photos and editing videos. She also regularly shadowed events and projects in the fire department and Office of Emergency Management.

With this job, something can happen anytime,” she said. “The phone is always ringing. Events are planned months in advance. There’s always something. It’s a fast-paced environment and you have to take initiative if you want to learn. I do that by asking a lot of questions.

She says her classes at Messiah helped prepare her for the internship.

“I took a crisis communication class and PR writing class,” she said, “which helped me the most during this internship. I also got to learn and experience how the real world works. My networking and conversational skills have improved immensely.”

As she finishes up her senior year and ponders her future, Milyango says she hopes to ultimately become a marketing communications director. 

— Leanne Tan ’21